That seems reductive. There’s room for different styles of bureaucracy. It’s not a binary between user-centred or bureaucracy. We aren’t talking about the same ideal-type Weber studied and described. And we indeed have learned from his critiques. Bureaucracies play out in many different ways across time and context. The starting point for bureaucracy in public service, in a democratic context, is to serve the public, led by representatives elected by that public. That’s the prime directive. It’s even in the name “public service.” These are significant tensions to hold and negotiate as we figure out what to keep and what to let go of from centuries passed. You know, we can’t be a blockbuster in a Netflix world something something 😝