Rip slept for 20 years, including through the American Revolutionary War.
General Motors slept for about the same duration, but much more recently.
Rip woke, wishing to maintain his pre-nap idleness, but knowing things had changed.
GM woke, wishing to maintain its pre-nap strategic and management approaches, but knowing things had changed.
Neither had the commitment to actually make changes in themselves.
Rip’s laziness had no real impact on the surrounding citizens.
Not so lucky, the citizens surrounding GM.