208: Office Politics

Office politics and workplace dynamics are explored through three distinct acts. The first act examines the extreme politics within a small startup, detailing power struggles, romantic entanglements, and the use of a psychic to navigate the toxic environment. The second act delves into the coping mechanisms of assistants in the publishing industry, highlighting their traditions of drinking, gift basket scavenging during Christmas, and subversive techniques for enduring workplace indignities. The final act investigates the hierarchy and roles among street vendors in New York City, revealing the ambition, competition, and social dynamics of this unique business, including the distinctions between panhandlers and vendors.