I find myself at a crossroads in life. There has been a lot of poop going down for the ol’ Batster. One of the things I have been giving a lot of thought to lately is my career. Or should I say my job, as I don’t really have a career, just a place where I go to work so they’ll give me money.
You might have guessed - but the shine is off the apple. I’ve been working in office environments in one capacity or another for the last 12 years or so. When the end-of-day whistle blows, it is a very rare day that I can say that I’m proud of the work I’ve done.
On the other hand, when I did manual labor (painting, warehouse work), at the end of 8 or 9 or 10 hours, I at least felt like I had accomplished something. And I found it easier to bond with co-workers when diplomacy and politics weren’t the prevailing motivations. I find it a lot easier to get to like someone when you can yell, “Hey, get your fat-ass off my fork-lift, pig fucker!” at him or her, rather than taking a half-hour to figure the presice wording, font and memo style to use just to get some insignifigant piece of information.
Who’s with me?
Three cheers for Manual Labor (isn’t that the president of Mexico?)
Screw the Corporations!! Let’s all go work on fishing boats!!
Since this IMHO, I suppose I ought to include some sort of poll or question.
Which is nobler, making tons of money, or feeling satisfied with your work?
Nobler? I would say that it’s honorable to pass up money for the purpose of gaining a job you enjoy, but if the job that earns money (surgeon, for example) helps more people, then my utilitarian view kicks in.
Too many specific cases for me to give a real opinion on this.
As per my job, I make decent money for someone my age and, while I don’t think my employers (lawyers) are the most honest people, they often help people who have legitimate claims against their employers. Any mundane and tedious filing I can do might help some injured tree surgeon or construction worker get their due compensation, so it gives me some satisfaction.
Life is short enough without giving it over needlessly to money. As long as it pays the rent, puts food in the mouth, and doesn’t hurt anyone else, do what you want is what I think.
Having abandoned the office track only a few years ago I am happy to report improved happiness and prosperity. Crunching numbers and fiddling with spreadsheets just wasn’t something I could get much satisfaction from. Now after a days work I can look at the Tek Panel and/or speakers and such and say “Cool,this house is now kick ass.” Gotta do things that give you some satisfaction I figure. I still get to crunch numbers and fiddle with spreadsheets but they’re my numbers and spreadsheets now. Good luck to you whatever you decide.
But Could you honestly say that you were consistently proud of the Manual Labor you did, when it was your job at hand? Or did it give you alot of stress, backaches etc.? There had to be some reason you left that field… perhaps the past is more attractive, because it isn’t here.
That’s definately one fringe benefit to working in a non-office setting. ROFL!
Too bad you can’t excusably take 30 minutes, to creatively draw a memo-style poster, using your favorite paint pens, glitters, paper punches and stickers that say’s “Hey, get your fat-ass off my hilighter pen, pig fucker!” And hang it up in the break room. I think corporate settings should allow for a battle scene style, venting cubical.
On a serious note, consider this… Would your age or health within the next ten years prevent you from going back into a similar position, if the Manual Labor became something that was just too much stress for you?
I’m all for spontanaety, making rash, off the cuff decisions, and being a free spirited decision maker in order to grasp moments of ultimate bliss… But you should ask yourself, if you would be screwing yourself in the long run, because you are trying to escape the thoughts of a stressful “Today” and looking back at a past, that may only be greener grass because you aren’t walking in it now.
As far as which is more noble…
Well, I think that depends on how your life, defines Noble.
Only you can define that for yourself.
If being noble means… being in a more physically demanding/stressful job - just for the sake of being able to do things like spit on the floor and yell “Pig Fucker” (Which is a very TEMPTING reason in itself to cheer Manual Labor!)and see a nice bit of the creation you helped pull together at the end of the day… If the social freedom in your work setting, is what will make you feel like you’ve made a bigger difference - Then it would make you more noble to go in that direction.
If you’d rather choke on the 10 hours of redundant interoffice memo’s, and your pride when you have the urge to kick some dickhead in the nads, because he stole the last donut and stuck out his tongue at you… then leave that same office at the end of the day, with no physical stress, go out and make up for it all by enjoying a bit of that extra money you made - Then put on your crown and giddyup.
I dont think either make any person more noble, thats something that has to come from your soul, not from your job title or Bank Balance. When you lay down at the end of the day and drift off to sleep… it isn’t your backache or bankbook that make you proud of what you’ve done, or who you are… It’s the feeling you get from utilizing an inward passion.
Well, I want it all–enough $$ to live comfortably and save for retirement AND job satisfaction, and someday I’ll find me a rich hubby who can give me that! [just kidding] Although I’m poorer than a church mouse, I LOVE what I do now.
Jack, if you search enough, not unless you’re happiest being dissatisfied with working anywhere, I don’t see why you can’t find both. [cliche mode on] You make your own happiness wherever you go. [cliche mode off]
Personally, I fantasize about being a carpenter. There’s nothing like getting physical with a hammer, some nails, wood glue, and some wood and building bookcases, tables, chairs, or whatever, but then I get realistic. I’m lazy and a clutz, and I have no concept of size, proportion, and all that precise math stuff that goes into building things. Oh dear, and what if I chip a nail, or the hammer slips and I break a finger? [shudder]
I also agree with Saint Zero. Politics and big EGOs are ubiquitous. [sigh] Good luck with whatever you decide.
I’ve been working in a university setting (a social psychology lab) for about 4 years now, and I find myself very disillusioned. Sometimes when I’m sitting in my office pretending to work, I am perplexed at how devalued manual labor has become in our society and how meaningless so much of what I do really is. Not to mention, backaches aside, an environment in which you spend a lot of time actually moving as opposed to staring at a fucking screen, is probably a hell of a lot healthier for you in the long run. I just don’t think people were meant to live like this, and that’s part of why in such a compressed environment, we find ourselves dwelling on such minutae, which we wouldn’t think twice about under normal circumstances. I plan to quit in the fall and do odd building jobs and maintenance for a friend of mine in Southern California, and the thought of it - even with a pay cut - is incredibly liberating.
Ask my dad. He’s been a mechanic 35 years. 25 in the air force, the rest (more or less) working for American Airlines. He hardly goes a week without welding himself to something by accident. Sure, the swearing and public farting is great, but it doesn’t really compensate for the banging up your body gets.