# Any job that you will not do/are above doing? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 4, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506 "2014-02-04T19:31:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/61 "2014-02-06T03:40:50Z")
I think I am “above” cold calls. My knees can no longer take being on my feet for extended periods. I could not wait tables, but I would bus them. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/62 "2014-02-06T07:39:33Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Seriously, nobodies mentioned being shot out of a canon? Tough bunch. My feet & knees could not take it now. Wish I had a chance to do it when I young, strong & stupid. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/63 "2014-02-06T15:47:41Z")
I couldn’t be any kind of cashier because I’m terrible at counting change, especially under pressure. I think I have some kind of undiagnosed math-related disability, seriously. If we ever switch over to electronic “cash” only, no actual bills or coins, then I guess I could do it. I could never do any kind of sales, especially cold calls or telemarketing. I probably wouldn’t get one thing sold. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/64 "2014-02-07T11:05:13Z")
When I worked offshore rigs, I worked with someone who was a mercenary in Angola. Apparently it paid pretty well. I knew him for years, and in the off-season he’d head over to Africa and pick up extra money. Occasionally he’d show us pictures of himself standing over his kills, just like hunters next to their deer. He was a jovial, friendly guy, but that was just a job to him like any other. I can do almost anything to keep food on the table, but I couldn’t do that. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/65 "2014-02-07T13:25:30Z")
Slaughterhouse worker. I just couldn’t do it. Stable worker - I’ve done it in the past and I like working with horses, but my body can’t take it. It takes about two weeks for the repetitive stress to kick in and my hands go numb at night and start doing other weird things. Sales. Tried it once, lasted less than an hour. ---
**Author:** ![jrsone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jrsone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrsone)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/66 "2014-02-07T16:17:45Z")
I worked for about 2 hours in a factory that made plastic clothes hangers. I should have taken the hint in the interview when she said “I just want to warn you, this is a factory that makes plastic coat hangers.” ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/67 "2014-02-07T17:26:35Z")
I am above being a thief, a murderer or a whore\*. \*This goes for any and all jobs which are rationalized/sanitized equivalents of the above. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/68 "2014-02-08T01:59:27Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > I am above being a thief, a murderer or a whore\*. > > \*This goes for any and all jobs which are rationalized/sanitized equivalents of the above. Murdering is definitely out. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/69 "2014-02-08T04:06:20Z")
> [@jrsone](#): > > I worked for about 2 hours in a factory that made plastic clothes hangers. > > I should have taken the hint in the interview when she said “I just want to warn you, this is a factory that makes plastic coat hangers.” What did you think the place was? ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/70 "2014-02-08T10:14:40Z")
I can’t think of much I wouldn’t do, I’m happy with manual work and have happily shoveled shit, literal shit, for a company that bagged up zoo dung and sold it for fertiliser. ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/72 "2014-02-08T13:11:02Z")
> [@jrsone](#): > > I know many of you are professionals in a career, many are retired, so perhaps you may have to think back on this one. > > Are there or was there any jobs that you wouldn’t do because you either felt you wouldn’t be able to for physical or mental reasons, or moral reasons, etc. > > Or have you always been above being a janitor, fry cook, etc? > > For me, I don’t feel I could handle the pressures of being a waiter. > > Laugh if you will. I have a poor memory and can’t handle working with the public well. I could never work for a tobacco or alcohol company. Both are making a negative contribution so I don’t want to do anything to support them. Too many lives ruined by both. Not that I think I’m above doing it, I don’t want to do any sort of manual labor. I find those things really boring and don’t feel I would be happy going to work each day. This might not be a popular one, but I hate travel. I really do, I avoid it unless it’s absolutely necessary. Travel for business I find very disruptive to my life and don’t see much benefit in the travel when it can be done over the phone and e-mail. The idea of getting on a plane twice a week to go sit in a meeting for 45 minutes just seems like an incredible waste of time. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506/73 "2014-02-08T14:22:30Z")
> [@edwardcoast](#): > > The idea of getting on a plane twice a week to go sit in a meeting for 45 minutes just seems like an incredible waste of time. It is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-job-that-you-will-not-do-are-above-doing/680506.md?page=3)