Why Everyone Hates the Company Man

 I was watching some old UFC fights, specifically DC vs Jon Jones 1 & 2, and it made me recall something Joe Rogan said on his podcast a while back. He mentioned how much he didn't understand why the fans had so much disdain and hatred for DC, even going as far as to like Jon Jones over DC.  In a later interview or podcast, he mentioned how he didn't understand why the fans didn't like Mighty Mouse either, which made he recall an interview, where Mighty Mouse said something along the lines of the following: "I don't do anything. I don't get in trouble, I don't do drugs or beat my wife. I just win fights, go home, and play video games. I'm a company man."

It dawned on me, that DC and Mighty Mouse were similar in the fact they they're both amazing fighters. Definitely hall of fame material.  DC won championships at light heavy and heavyweight, and was absolutely dominate at light heavyweight for years, his only losses being Jon Jones which were later over turned because Jones would end up getting caught for PED's.  Mighty Mouse, on the other hand, was undefeated for years, going on to break Anderson Silva's record for most consecutive title defenses.  Both great athletes, both masters of the fight game, but both ignored/hated by the fans.

Then you have people like Connor and Jon Jones, who are the complete opposite. They do cocaine, PED's, beat up old men, have sex with prostitutes, and are constantly in trouble and in the spotlight.  Yet both of these fighters have tremendous fan bases, huge star power, and make tons of money.

Why are DC and Mighty Mouse doomed to obscurity at best and outright hatred at worst, while Conor and Jon Jones rolling in fame and cash? One word. Honesty!

Honesty!

People hate the company man because the company man plays it safe. They say the right things, do the right things, and never rock the boat, which makes you untrustworthy. No one wants to rally behind a timid, careful, play it safe type of person.  People like Conor and Jon Jones, they pretty much do what they want, and I think that type of attitude endears a certain respect. They're honest about who they are.  This also bleeds into leadership as well.  Leaders, men that inspire others to action, the type of men that others follow, aren't company men. They're men that make the companies. 

As if to accentuate my point, here is the definition of company man from the urban dictionary: 

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Company%20Man

Someone who places their career above all other things, often at the cost of fun, friends, and human interaction. Often displays sycophantic behavior to earn favor from their superiors, similar to a "kiss ass" or "brown noser".

Poor Ryan, his girlfriend of 6 years dumped him because he never spent time with her. He was always at work. What a sad, sad, company man.

Time for some perspective. Obviously, if you don't care about the above things (fun, friends, and human interaction) then be a company man, but in the fighting world, where being liked or extremely hated (Mayweather) has a direct correlation to how much money one makes, it would behoove one to not be a company man. It's also worth noting that this type of behavior isn't just limited to work. A company man at work is usually a company man everywhere else.