So I'm driving to work at Wayne State this morning for the last day of instruction for the semester, wearing a red tie to show (muted) solidarity with my labor friends, when the radio cuts to an advert from the Michigan Freedom To Work coalition, and the "man of the people" commentator sez,
"If their clients believe that unions are doing a good job for them,
they're free to join them."
That's when I finally get it. To the folks on the other side, everybody's a customer. Everybody's a client.
Problem is that some organizations in society don't align with that paradigm. Families, for example. Communities (whether virtual or real), for another.
Families have members, not clients.
Communities have members, not clients.
The client mindset says: you're on your own. Just select the provider whose services you believe offer the best value.
The family/community mindset says: we're all in this together.
Or so it seems to me, driving along I-94, wearing my red tie.
Note: title revised to reflect solid input from Peregrine Kate and Triciawyse.