William Faulkner, novelist and Nobel Prize laureate, served as the University, Mississippi postmaster from 1922-1924. Bored with the tedium of the job, he tendered his resignation (rather than be fired) in a letter has become somewhat infamous:
“As long as I live under the capitalistic system, I expect to have my life influenced by the demands of moneyed people. But I will be damned if I propose to be at the beck and call of every itinerant scoundrel who has two cents to invest in a postage stamp.
Daisy Thornton is Federal News Network’s digital managing editor. In addition to her editing responsibilities, she covers federal management, workforce and technology issues. She is also the commentary editor; email her your letters to the editor and pitches for contributed bylines.