Reflections on The Apprentice

In capitalist mythology business leaders are supposed to have something special, a particular dynamic that marks them out. The one thing the Apprentice proves is that they don't, unless you count boundless and unwarranted self-belief. They come across - and in the assignments are often proved to be - arrogant and frankly often rather stupid people. They don't usually perform well, even in the areas they are supposed to be good at, and time and time again it is proved they lack elementary work place skills like listening to others and working as a team.

I realise they are carefully selected for their personalities and their self-regard rather than their actual acumen - it's a TV show - yet these young business men and women are the sort of people we are supposed to admire. In the nightmarish neoliberal world that we are promised, we are supposed to rely on their skills and 'entrepeneurial spirit' for our economy, our jobs and our future.