Well, it's official. I've lost my work ethic.

The BBQ Pit
21

Man, this all rings a bell.

I still want to do a good job, because it affects the people I care for (I work with the developmentally disabled). And they are what I care about, quite a bit.

But my co-workers? The “system”? Bah! That was burned out of me a while ago, because the Powers That Be allow so much abhorrent “office politics” and lying gossiping behavior. The morale sucks around this place, and I’m sick of the whole thing.

I used to not use many of my sick days. I’d come in to work when I was feeling “oogie”, and just tough it out. So I have a LOT of sick time piled up. But my attitude about sick time has changed now. No, I don’t abuse my sick time, but when I feel under the weather, I stay home. I don’t “tough it out”. Screw this “tough it out” bullshit, and “No other Gods before the job” bullshit. There’s more to my life than dragging myself into work, even when I am feeling like shit.

And another thing I have been realizing about myself—I just don’t care about some things. Oh sure, I care about the people under my care. But that’s because they deserve my concern. But the petty bullshit of coworkers? Unless it’s something REALLY big, nope, I just don’t care.

I realized this just last week, when a coworker (someone I generally like, actually) left a somewhat passive-aggressive “note” about something I wasn’t doing just right. Nothing earth-shattering, but something that was bugging her. And, sure, she had a point. But she couldn’t just come up to me and tell me in kind tones that I could do this little thing better, she left a note, and phrased more harshly that was necessary to get the point across. Because, you know, God Forbid she just take a minute to tell me what was on her mind, sans the snarkiness.

And for a moment I was rather upset and offended by this note. My feathers were ruffled. And then it dawned on me—this feeling of hurt and offense just wasn’t going to last. Because I just didn’t care. And it was true. Within a few hours, the “sting” of this rather stupid and harsh note had completely faded, and I didn’t even think about it at all. Because it just wasn’t worth the effort of getting offended. It was just about work, after all. Nothing really important.

22

Good for you Thea. The American work ethic is a steaming pile of shit, it’s good that you’ve awakened to it. The work ethic is like the Matrix, it’s just a lie that they use to keep people droning along mindlessly and not paying attention to the shit being perpetrated by their leaders. There is nothing to be gained by hard work. There is no reason, whatever, that you should ever do shit to help a company like Walmart. they have nothing but contempt for you, believe me. People that work hard are are regarded with even more contempt for they are the chumps and the losers. They are the mindslaves who can be manipulated and exploited. It is their cheap labor which fattens the corporation and feeds their power.

You are now one of the one percent. You are one of those who rejects the program. You will not accept the Matrix. Join us now in Zion as we await the coming of the One Dude. The One Dude is the slacker who will save all slackers from tedious, bullshit jobs. The One Dude will bring about the destruction of nametags, uniform shirts and time clocks. The One Dude will be able to break the codes. He will be able to alter time cards and bring about the Eternal Break. The One Dude will come bearing smokes and nachos. Some say he is only a fantasy, a dream, but I say he is real and he is coming.

23

My job will receive my “work ethic” when it deserves my “work ethic”.

The past 6 months I’ve been working for a place that doesn’t give a shit about the people who work there. They expect everyone to give their all.

I tried. I’m a very hard worker and love to do a good job. But this place rewards the good workers with more work and rewards the slackers with no work.

Case in point. I was working with a boss at some silly manual labour bit and he said “we need one more person and this will be done in no time”. I suggest this guy who is KNOWN for slacking and not working. The boss laughs. He though I was making a joke.

Later I threw that in his face. He said “I’ve worked projects with him before. He’s terrible at it”

THEN FIRE THE FUCKER! DON’T MAKE ME DO HIS WORK!

After that point I decided to strive to be the fuck who sits around and does nothing. I tried for two weeks. I couldn’t do it. But I also couldn’t spend half my day covering for people who are expected to work but aren’t forced to work.

I ended up quiting.

Well,. there were more reasons then that but that is another rant.

Thea, your work ethic will return when you get a job that deserves it. For now, I say fuck them. If you are in a position like I was and you can hold out… DO IT! Damn the man.