Philosophical Considerations---> Do you hate your job?

[PigNewton]

 I would like to open a discussion around an ailment of global proportion: hating your job. The Ancient Greeks regarded labor as "slavery" and undignified. Aristotle was famous for saying, "Paid labor dulls the mind." Are these ideas really outrageous? Perhaps dated? Or worse, true? The fact is obvious, most people hate their jobs. They're miserable day in and day out. They feel embarrassed for not achieving a certain financial status or dignity. I feel this needs to be addressed especially since users on here are of all ages. I would like the more . . . . ripe . .  users to tell us about your experience with the workforce and how it's changed. Perhaps give the younger users some advice on how to get through the working day without losing hope, dignity or giving up on their dreams.

 For the younger users, feel free to tell us about where you work and what you feel about your job. Are you satisfied? Are you ashamed? Do you feel proud? How much do you make? What do you feel the connection is between how much you make now and how much you want to make in 10 years?

 We need to address this depressing mode of living face to face and I would love for everyone to get involved and throw in their philosophical two cents.

 Cheers!!
 

[daredevil]

Do the job which you like No I don't hate it. Sometimes I get frustrated but that's what keep me coming back. 

[Dougl@s]

I can't complain about my job, I just meet places that I never can go if I dont work with what I do.

So, I am musician and I choose to be one musician and producer(also i am a studio enginner).

when I worked with other things that I dont liked, it was boring.

but in my eye, it was necessary as a "jump" to what i wish to be.

I can say it was hard days when I decided trow my old and solid job to be only a musician but I am so satisfect now.

[Smultronstallet]

Well, if you have those very interesting inquiries, maybe you'll find interesting the theory of alienation of one of the most important philosophers of all times... Karl Marx (Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844)

 

On the other hand, you can read the Friedrich von Hayek's classic, The Road of Serfdom.

 

For more philosophical inquiries, you can try Max Stirner's The Unique One and His Property.

 

My personal two cents is the Weltschmerz vision of Arthur Schopenhauer; the life oscillates as a pendulum between pain and boredom. 

 

There's a lot of stairs to climb with your initial problem. Good luck!

[Raskin]

I've been a service tech almost all my life.electrical..hvac..restaurant equipt.i like being in the field ..no office..mostly making my own calls on what is to be done to complete job and letting office know what is needed and timeline.. I use to like my job before the advent of micro managment computer programs with idiots at the helm..putting applications that either do not work or that are currupt on my work Pc. told what to do by people at desks who have no clue what my job is.I mostly ignore or make stuff up they do not understand and find tricks in the programs to get my PC to accept so I can close the work order and let them deal with the mess.workers are not seen as people,more like an obstacle to ever greater profitability.i will retire soon

[ajnl]

I think one problem is that society has said that success is measured by the amount of money you make, which I disagree with.

 

Anyways, this is what I believe when it comes to work. I believe work gives a sense of dignity and self-worth, because it gives you a purpose. You are not just doing something just because it is fun, or w/e. You are doing it for a specific purpose. It may be difficult to see that depending on the job you have.

 

I remember reading an article about a girl who was making coats for homeless peoplee. She talked to some of them, and they told her that they didn't need the coats, they needed a job. So instead she hired them to make the coats themselves (I can't find the article atm).

 

If you look at countries like Haiti (where I grew up), there are countless groups who come down and build a school or church or any other kind of building. Instead it is much better to take the money, train the local people, and hire them to do the job. That way not only will they have work, but they will also take ownership of the building because they worked on it.

Edited February 20, 2015 by ajnl

[Dougl@s]

what was you doing on Haiti?

I know alot of brazilians was there includes Brazilian Army.

edit: nvm I didnt knew what "grew up" mean, now I know.

So where you live actually?

Also how is it actually?still destructed?was there that happen a big earthquake, right?

[Dontkillme]

do you hate your job.? Not anymore

are you satisfied? NO I always say my time worth more them what i make"

Are you ashamed? Not at all .. I provide service and protection

From now and 10 year? I don't see my self doing the same . Always thinking for a bigger future " my dreams never stop" I reach it and i started to built my next dream...

How much money ? Never enough

never let a close door stop you from reaching your goals ".

[CruelKind]

Love my job, because I work for myself. But even if I hated my job, I would love the money.

[gibson66]

I'm an unemployed drain on society--I mean liberal arts undergrad.

[Kevlar]

I work for myself and have for a long time- a little over 20 years.  I started working for myself for no other reason than I truly believed that I was smarter and could do the work better than the a-hole that I was working for.  Never thought much about the money - just the work.  Money kinda turned into a side effect of me really enjoying what I do.  I'm also really fortunate that I was able to recognize all the stuff that I sucked at and then found and hired people that really loved to do all the crap that I hated to or couldn't do.

 

My advice would be to not let money or status be your motivators. Be patient & persistent.  Avoid debt at all costs. Work hard, even when it sucks- or maybe especially when it sucks.  

[vke]

I'm almost done with my training to be a nuclear qualified machinist's mate in the US Navy. I love my job. Every day i learn stuff that I never would have had an opportunity to learn otherwise. Not all of it is fun; but I'm getting paid for an education that less than .01% of the world will get.

 

The Navy has done so much for me already. I've met the woman of my dreams because of the Navy.

[Joku_.]

The word westernization of cultures in based upon (partly) on the introduction of time is money metaphor, which by penetrating pretty much all cultures by now has shaped the conception how we perceive that time should be used. In other words, it should be something that is productive, and what is productive is based upon cultural values, which comes back to the time is money metaphor. So forth, those that are seen usually most industrious are those that have bigger paychecks, work long days - and those who in their freetime learn new languages, exercise, build up relations etc = even our use of free time has fallen under the same rubric of time is money, which controls everything, if not in reality in some cases then in subconsciously as in I should.

[PigNewton]

I think one problem is that society has said that success is measured by the amount of money you make, which I disagree with.

 

Anyways, this is what I believe when it comes to work. I believe work gives a sense of dignity and self-worth, because it gives you a purpose. You are not just doing something just because it is fun, or w/e. You are doing it for a specific purpose. It may be difficult to see that depending on the job you have.

 

I remember reading an article about a girl who was making coats for homeless peoplee. She talked to some of them, and they told her that they didn't need the coats, they needed a job. So instead she hired them to make the coats themselves (I can't find the article atm).

 

If you look at countries like Haiti (where I grew up), there are countless groups who come down and build a school or church or any other kind of building. Instead it is much better to take the money, train the local people, and hire them to do the job. That way not only will they have work, but they will also take ownership of the building because they worked on it.

 

 I agree. Many Americans have a skewed perception of other cultures and countries. Our Geography skills aren't the best either. I believe this is due to the overload of digital information through computers which are constantly distracting us from interpersonal relationships. It seems odd that a device which can elicit just about any information you like would also be the blame for the most inadequate thinkers the world has seen in civilized society. People can't focus, think or contemplate deeply which is leading to worse relationships and an indifference to world problems. The news isn't off the hook either. We, in America, are constantly told the world is trying to kill us, our neighbor is a psychopathic pedophile, and we're going to be broke soon. We're also told our fat, ugly and stupid we are. So no wonder America has obesity, depression, suicide and anxiety. We all feel inadequate for not achieving a mythical status of success. 

 

 If America wants to help the world, I suggest they help themselves first and get it all sorted. It's hard to know how to help someone else when you're own mind is warped.

[PigNewton]

Well, if you have those very interesting inquiries, maybe you'll find interesting the theory of alienation of one of the most important philosophers of all times... Karl Marx (Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844)

 

On the other hand, you can read the Friedrich von Hayek's classic, The Road of Serfdom.

 

For more philosophical inquiries, you can try Max Stirner's The Unique One and His Property.

 

My personal two cents is the Weltschmerz vision of Arthur Schopenhauer; the life oscillates as a pendulum between pain and boredom. 

 

There's a lot of stairs to climb with your initial problem. Good luck!

 

 Ok so if the pendulum oscillates between pain and boredom, where do you sit within that? What do you do for work? How much do you make? Would you say you have a high quality life? How do you know? Thanks bro!