Life's Dilemmas: Work or No Work?

[wolram]

I just can not make my mind up, if i did give up work i am sure i could not fill in the time, but then i am fed up with the discomforts work brings, there is not much chance of a new job as they are few and far between, unless i take a job as a shelf stacker at the supermarket, i am sure i would soon tire of that, but how many times can i be lucky and get away with all the near misses i seem to have.

 

[hypatia]

Well, your lucky till the last one 'ol chap.

 

[Moonbear]

Well, your lucky till the last one 'ol chap.

 

[lisab]

I know just how you feel. The job I had before my current one was horrible - easily the worst-run company I've ever worked for. I was in that should-I-stay-or-quit state for a year before I took the plunge. It's not a pleasant place to be.

Maybe finding a new job would be easier than you think. Have you started looking? Not just looking at 'help wanted' listings, but actually applying?

 

[turbo]

It's much easier to find a job if you are currently employed and have that cushion of "extra time, steady income". Also, it's easier for a manager to hire you if you say "I'm looking for a better job" than if you have to explain why you are unemployed. Try to look at it from the point of view of the employer, and you'll see why this is so. Good luck, friend!

 

[Moonbear]

I know just how you feel. The job I had before my current one was horrible - easily the worst-run company I've ever worked for. I was in that should-I-stay-or-quit state for a year before I took the plunge. It's not a pleasant place to be.

Maybe finding a new job would be easier than you think. Have you started looking? Not just looking at 'help wanted' listings, but actually applying?

True. When you stop being happy with where you work, or when you genuinely feel like your safety is too often at risk, what's the harm in sending out some applications elsewhere? At worst, you're unsuccessful and appreciate having the job you have because it's actually a paying job. At best, you find something better to move into.

 

[wolram]

cheers Turbo, Lisab, I am ignoring Hypatia and Moonb Chocolate fire guards
Truth is the job market is tough right now, and i am not sure if i even want to carry on working.

 

[OrbitalPower]

Interesting post. I think a dislike of work comes from the fact that many people are not only disgruntled about their job, but they're disgruntled about society as a whole, and see no point in contributing.

I'm not saying you feel this way, but after all, it is one of the many characteristics of a philospohical archetype that he dislikes regular "work" as well. For instance, thinking about the fact that humans are just mere life forms that are all set to die anyway. Thinking about the broader picture that, eventually, life on Earth will have to die out (or even change drastically very soon) anyway, make it all seem sometimes meaningless.

I myself have thought about giving up "work" but people rely on me, thus I can't. But, I have thought about doing the most menial job possible so long as I bring in just enough, barely enough, income, ala Kevin Spacey's character in "American Beauty."

Some musings on work:

http://www.zpub.com/notes/black-work.html Bob Black, an extreme anarchist perspective (obviously ,this will be seen as extreme)

http://www.zpub.com/notes/idle.html By Bertrand Russell. More appropriate for a physics forum, as russell is quoted a lot here.

Russell was a good example of someone who was able to do what he loved, write on philosophy and mathematics, and still make a lot of money -- he actually gave all the money he earned in mathematics to women's suffrage groups, then gained it all back and then some with the publication of History of Western Philosophy -- in much the same way some locally owned farm community or certain programmers have made a lot of money. However, I think these people are extremely rare.

 

[wolram]

Interesting post. I think a dislike of work comes from the fact that many people are not only disgruntled about their job, but they're disgruntled about society as a whole, and see no point in contributing.

I'm not saying you feel this way, but after all, it is one of the many characteristics of a philospohical archetype that he dislikes regular "work" as well. For instance, thinking about the fact that humans are just mere life forms that are all set to die anyway. Thinking about the broader picture that, eventually, life on Earth will have to die out (or even change drastically very soon) anyway, make it all seem sometimes meaningless.

I myself have thought about giving up "work" but people rely on me, thus I can't. But, I have thought about doing the most menial job possible so long as I bring in just enough, barely enough, income, ala Kevin Spacey's character in "American Beauty."

Some musings on work:

http://www.zpub.com/notes/black-work.html Bob Black, an extreme anarchist perspective (obviously ,this will be seen as extreme)

http://www.zpub.com/notes/idle.html By Bertrand Russell. More appropriate for a physics forum, as russell is quoted a lot here.

Russell was a good example of someone who was able to do what he loved, write on philosophy and mathematics, and still make a lot of money -- he actually gave all the money he earned in mathematics to women's suffrage groups, then gained it all back and then some with the publication of History of Western Philosophy -- in much the same way some locally owned farm community or certain programmers have made a lot of money. However, I think these people are extremely rare.

You hit the nail on the head in your first few lines, as for the rest of the mumbo jumbo well, i guess i am a border line anarchist, if that is the right word for opting out of so called society.

 

[Evo]

cheers Turbo, Lisab, I am ignoring Hypatia and Moonb Chocolate fire guards
Truth is the job market is tough right now, and i am not sure if i even want to carry on working.

I hear you Wolram. My company has been screwing itself into the ground for the past 3 years since I started there (a new CEO started at the same time).

I am going to be returning to work with a completely new job (old one disappeared while I've been off due to surgery). I'm trying to be positive about the new job, but half of the people I worked with have quit already. But on the up side, they were all commiting fraud and they can't continue that in this new job. One guy made a deal when he left not to repay the fraud for not filing charges against the company since the fraud was known and condoned by upper management. The guy was making $60,000.00 to $80,000.00 a MONTH.

What a world we live in.

 

[Kurdt]

You need to find some projects to work on.

 

[wolram]

I hear you Wolram. My company has been screwing itself into the ground for the past 3 years since I started there (a new CEO started at the same time).

I am going to be returning to work with a completely new job (old one disappeared while I've been off due to surgery). I'm trying to be positive about the new job, but half of the people I worked with have quit already. But on the up side, they were all commiting fraud and they can't continue that in this new job. One guy made a deal when he left not to repay the fraud for not filing charges against the company since the fraud was known and condoned by upper management. The guy was making $60,000.00 to $80,000.00 a MONTH.

What a world we live in.

Totally incredible, there seems to be no honer these days.

 

[Fearless]

Do you ever take pride in your work? like "Damn, I was good today" or "I nailed those f-ing production targets". Having pride about the things you work with, almost always make you feel better about the job.

And besides, there isn't any funny or worthwhile jobs, but there are funny and worthwhile coworkers.

Besides, get a desk job with responsibility, you will get cash and be able to mold your own way in the enterprise.

 

[Andre]

I second Turbo's advice, Wolram. Be agile, look around, internet can also be great for finding jobs sometimes.

Evo, sorry to hear about all that mess, hope you can cope.