To simply say one doesn't like their job is selfish. Even I (of all people!!!) would say "If you don't like it do something else".
Now if someone says "I feel I have more to offer (myself and the world)than my current occupation does", that's different.
Our culture of "immediacy" doesn't promote self-fulfillment or even social fulfillment. It is more important to "do" than to "be".
Go to any dinner party, what's the first question? "What do you do?" We judge others worth by their socio-economic status. It's even part of the English language (IE. I AM a lawyer, accountant, doctor...)
When we are what we do, no wonder thousands of us are depressed. We know we have much more to offer, but social conventions insist that simply "doing" something is all that matters regardless of how fun / boring, useful / useless, real or fake it may be.
Wanting to want more is portrayed as selfish.
Pedestrian clichés like "Be grateful of what you do have", and "Just work hard and the rest will follow" are just that, pedestrian.
We are socialized to believe that happiness occurs after (hard) work, on evenings and weekends. That happiness is somehow earned, as if happiness is a commodity.
If "working hard" means slaving away at a job which doesn't maximize my skill set (how's that for a buzzword?!), is what I'm expected to do to "earn" my happiness, I'm not interested.
I know I'm not alone.
About Me
- Gregoire
- Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Having suffered Depression my entire adult life, and now just getting better, I have made it my mission to educate people about Depression, and help those with it. As serious as all that is, I also have a great sense of humour.I love making people laugh,and laughing myself. As you can see from my picture, I'm also a big sports fan. Go Habs Go!!! See my Facebook page to learn more about me.
3 comments:
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Hi Greg,
Interesting post.. and Id like to thank the previous respondents, for posting in Japanese.. most helpful ;)
regarding the subject, I agree, in our societies (and indeed, in most societies across the World) we are judged by what we "do for a living", and by the income we have. But, hasnt it always been this way? think about it, a 1000, or even just 100 years ago, if you were a farmer, you provided food for yourself and the community in which you lived, and the same goes for fishermen, hunters etc. I DO find it very odd that now someone who designs computer games (for example) seems to have a higher social status ( because of course they know all the buzz words and have all the gadgets) than someone who, for example, works in a bakery.. especially given that only 30 years ago, computer technology and games barely existed.
Also, I find it strange that our "worth" is all too often judged on what we "have" (in terms of material possessions) does having a bigger tv, or car, house, etc really make one a better person?? if so, then the World HAS really gone tits up!!
Which brings me to my point.. that its our commercialised, media driven World, that brain washes us into believing the hype, that we NEED all this stuff, to make ourselves happy.. WE DONT! Because its that BLIND belief that we "have to have this", that keep us stuck in jobs that are unsatisfying and unrewarding just so we can keep paying for the crap we dont really need! when what we really NEED is to be able to keep a roof over our heads, food in our bellies and clothes on our back, and to provide for our family. I just wish that the "kids of today" could see this when they make demands of their parents that they "have to have this.."
But the big question is.. would you give it all up??
to add further..
I wouldnt necessarily say "If you dont like your job, go do something different.." that often easier said than done. What I would say is "find something good about what you do, in terms of what it does for you and for society" (example; I have to get up at 5am every morning to delivery dairy produce to shops, its NOT something I enjoy, but if we didnt do it, the shops would soon run out of food and everyone would have to go back to milking their own cow and making their own cheese)
Then, in your spare time, do that which you LOVE to do, something that give you real pleasure, no matter what it is..
And try NOT to let work dominate your life.. its short enough as it is :)
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