Office work

2

Comments

  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    That's a lot of work.

    I work about 50 hours a week normally, sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. If you include my short travel time to and from as the last person did it goes to about 54 hours a week at least.

    I don't consider that a ton, 60-80 hours would be a lot. The most I can do regualrly is about 55 hours a week, I start to get way underproductive after too lnog anyhow. ;)

    i wish the partners at law firms understood that. i hear their goal is to essentially break the associates. the ones that survive make partner, the ones that dont develop drinking problems, get fired, or commit suicide. i plan to work it for a few years for the money, pay off the debt i incurred at this school. then im hopping ship on the whole firm thing. unless i find one that's cool with hiring lazy sons of bitches like me :)
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    Here's my 2 cents....for what its worth anyway.

    The 9-5 working world is a facade. 40 hr/ wk. office and factory jobs are not useless because they are necessary to keep the world running. However, I will always believe in the motto "all in moderation". These people invest 40 hrs each week to their job and many times take them on as another family----but then what happens to their personal life and family at home? Many people have alot of trouble trying to balance work life with the home life and in many cases, it just doesn't work. Unless of course your girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse works with you or you've worked out some way to include the family in your work.

    I feel that many people can get burnt out on the traditional standards of a work week. It may have worked for our grandparents--- but they also still valued the importance of the housewife to help alleviate the stress of the husband----a notion that is unfortunately overlooked in this day and age. Most couples are so concerned with maintaining a 2-income family to gain more money, that they lose sight of their quality of life---meaning that they never have enough time for everything and everyone is always too stressed out. The little important things get overlooked and their children get neglected in many subtle ways.

    So, I guess what I'm getting at is that you should try to build a career that is flexible--like working from home or being your own boss or put two different part time jobs together. This is what I've found to work for me so far. Good luck to ya, Cheguevara6. :)

    40 hours per week really isn't a ton of hours per week to work.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • know1 wrote:
    40 hours per week really isn't a ton of hours per week to work.

    40 hours a week is a huge chunk of time!
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • spongersponger Posts: 3,159
    Just so you know, it's actually illegal for an interviewer to ask you your age.

    ...not in the great state of California. I looked it up after the second time it happened.
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    40 hours a week is a huge chunk of time!

    It's significant, but I think it's a decent amount to work. It certainly not this huge burden some people make it out to be. I find the ones who do think it's too much are the ones that waste hours and hours a day watching TV or movies.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,946
    I am a student, getting ready to figure out what I want to do in life.
    For me, it all seems so absurd. My generation has this to look forward to as we step into the workplace:
    Rising U.S. debt in the trillions
    Global warming
    Minimum wage
    War
    No future

    And office jobs are the problem? Are you going to school in a cardboard box? What about all the social programs you want? Won't you need office folks to administer them? How about for the government to get those funds to pay for social programs. Won't you need tax preparers to prepare those returns? To manufacture all of the goods you want to give to poor people, won't you need office administrators for those manufacturers. For all the health care you want to provide for free, aren't you going to need administrators for those?


    I really think you are a very depressed individual, and you blame political and social problems, when really, it is a problem with you and your personal life. When you start blaming office jobs on the problems of the world, you are running out of excuses.
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,946
    40 hours a week is a huge chunk of time!

    I think 80% of the country would kill for a 40 hour a week job.
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,946

    I feel that many people can get burnt out on the traditional standards of a work week. It may have worked for our grandparents--- but they also still valued the importance of the housewife to help alleviate the stress of the husband----a notion that is unfortunately overlooked in this day and age.

    Don't you know housewives are worthless? Come on dude, it is 2006. Raising respectable children to make a positive contribution? That is totally secondary to bringing in a few extra bucks.
  • ryan198ryan198 Posts: 1,015
    Che - for the people giving you a hard time about what you are thinking just say fuck 'em. You obviously have your head in the right place when you are thinking about things other than yourself. If you go through this thread you can see that the people siding with you are generally those who care about others, and those who are critiquing you are doing so by calling you an individual failure - which I find quite funny since you are a college grad or are going to be one anyway.

    From the time I was 14 through 22 I worked several different jobs, from newspaper boy, to summer children's disability camp, to little league groundskeeper, to golf course ranger, to pita pit delivery driver, to cubicle office worker, to employee for Major League Baseball International. In other words I have seen the gambit of low paying, low benefit jobs, to relatively high paying (for my age and experience) benefit jobs, and guess what...they all sucked - especially the office jobs. There comes a point when you are working 40/50/60 hrs a week when you realize that you are only doing this to make a small percentage of people in this world more wealthy - in this case the owner of the place.

    As a person who cared about more people than my CEO I decided that office work wasn't for me, and have gone on to graduate school. I am ABD (all but dissertation) now, and with a little luck (and for those of you who care hard work), I should have my PhD in 1 1/2-2 years. With that little certificate I will have a job that allows me to teach at a university on my own schedule, allowing me to actually join groups (perhaps even lead them) that can make changes to prevent those terrible things about America that you so perceptively pointed out. I guess what I am suggesting here is that while for an increasing majority in America the disparity in wealth, and the desirability of an office job is no good, there are options. The only problem with the option I presented is that you will have more school loans...thanks W.
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,946
    ryan198 wrote:
    Che - for the people giving you a hard time about what you are thinking just say fuck 'em. You obviously have your head in the right place when you are thinking about things other than yourself. If you go through this thread you can see that the people siding with you are generally those who care about others, and those who are critiquing you are doing so by calling you an individual failure - which I find quite funny since you are a college grad or are going to be one anyway.

    The kid said in another thread that he started that the one Pearl Jam concert he went to was the only thing that put a smile on his face because he was so depressed about the world. There is something wrong there. That's all I am saying. I bet even the most anti-Bush, anti-corporate people on this board smile every day, and enjoy the friends and family around them.

    And the point of this thread is that office jobs are part of this big problem, and that they are meaningless. People are disagreeing with that because it is pure idiocy. Yeah, there are problems with the world. Because I'm an accountant and work in an office, that makes me part of it? Gimme a break.
  • know1 wrote:
    It's significant, but I think it's a decent amount to work. It certainly not this huge burden some people make it out to be. I find the ones who do think it's too much are the ones that waste hours and hours a day watching TV or movies.

    I hardly watch tv but do enjoy dvds on weekend nights. There are so many things I would love to do but never have the time. It's too much because life is for living not working just so you can.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • I think 80% of the country would kill for a 40 hour a week job.

    Of course, because people need money to live. In our society you have to work to earn your keep. Like life is about being productive...but what exactly are you producing? Profits for someone else that you will never be able to enjoy. Most peoples pay goes to just getting them by. With this beautiful world around us, it's a shame that we have to work just to live instead of working doing the things we love or working on things that enhance and enrich our lives. I know you're going to say everyone can do that but how many people can really actually realize that kind of satisfaction out of life and capitalism still work? The systems not built for people to realize their dreams.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    Of course, because people need money to live. In our society you have to work to earn your keep. Like life is about being productive...but what exactly are you producing? Profits for someone else that you will never be able to enjoy. Most peoples pay goes to just getting them by. With this beautiful world around us, it's a shame that we have to work just to live instead of working doing the things we love or working on things that enhance and enrich our lives. I know you're going to say everyone can do that but how many people can really actually realize that kind of satisfaction out of life and capitalism still work? The systems not built for people to realize their dreams.

    Capitalism is fine. It's the misunderstood empowerment of those who don't know what to do with themselves but find a way to make money. Any way. You know?

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  • angelicaangelica Posts: 6,038
    Of course, because people need money to live. In our society you have to work to earn your keep. Like life is about being productive...but what exactly are you producing? Profits for someone else that you will never be able to enjoy. Most peoples pay goes to just getting them by. With this beautiful world around us, it's a shame that we have to work just to live instead of working doing the things we love or working on things that enhance and enrich our lives. I know you're going to say everyone can do that but how many people can really actually realize that kind of satisfaction out of life and capitalism still work? The systems not built for people to realize their dreams.
    I agree with you.

    Also, my 24 year old daughter has a flexible job and she chooses the least amount of hours just to pay bills, and spends the rest of her time doing self-improvement--learning, and developing art skills, and uncovering who she is. She does not buy into the conventional system at all. She will gladly keep her focus off of material things in order to grow and flourish personally. It's unfortunate that to the vast majority, this kind of mindset is basically unheard of--or dramatically misunderstood as "laziness", etc. Social ostracization is a way to keep people in line, though. Many of us contribute to it, and keep it going based purely on our programming, without awareness of the consequence of our actions.
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • gue_barium wrote:
    Capitalism is fine. It's the misunderstood empowerment of those who don't know what to do with themselves but find a way to make money. Any way. You know?


    I don't think that is all it is. Conditioning exists, as well. But I am not really in the mood to debate this. It kinda saddens me. I just wanted to type out my thoughts and have that be enough. I know many will disagree but I'm not going to go pages defending it when I know it will be fruitless.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,946
    Of course, because people need money to live. In our society you have to work to earn your keep. Like life is about being productive...but what exactly are you producing? Profits for someone else that you will never be able to enjoy. Most peoples pay goes to just getting them by. With this beautiful world around us, it's a shame that we have to work just to live instead of working doing the things we love or working on things that enhance and enrich our lives. I know you're going to say everyone can do that but how many people can really actually realize that kind of satisfaction out of life and capitalism still work? The systems not built for people to realize their dreams.

    Yeah, I was just making a general statement about the 40 hour workweek dissapearing.

    Since the beginning of time, I would say people have worked to provide food and shelter. Did the farmer 200 years ago want to be a farmer? No, it was a necessity. Work has always been a means to provide for the staples in our lives.

    I don't think any society is perfect. But I think in our society people can generally work in an area they enjoy, or at least caters to their strengths. With all of the scholarships out their for minorities and poorer folks, I do think that anyone who can say yes to school, and no to crime and mischief, can go far in life. I'm friends with college recruiters, and I know that diversity is as important as anything in colleges today. Just look at any college recruiting brochure...if there is one minority at the school, he or she will be on the cover. I will admit that some people have to work more for the dreams, but I think it is reasonable to be able to work hard in this country and realize your dream, or at least be better off than most of the rest of the world.
  • angelica wrote:
    I agree with you.

    Also, my 24 year old daughter has a flexible job and she chooses the least amount of hours just to pay bills, and spends the rest of her time doing self-improvement--learning, and developing art skills, and uncovering who she is. She does not buy into the conventional system at all. She will gladly keep her focus off of material things in order to grow and flourish personally. It's unfortunate that to the vast majority, this kind of mindset is basically unheard of--or dramatically misunderstood as "laziness", etc. Social ostracization is a way to keep people in line, though. Many of us contribute to it, and keep it going based purely on our programming, without awareness of the consequence of our actions.

    Thank you, Angelica!! You always make me feel sane. I get the selfish, lazy comments all the time, too. I'm living for me not living to work...anytime I can get out of working, I'm jumping all over it. Time spent on me is worth way more than any money I could earn. Cheers to your daughter!!
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    I don't think that is all it is. Conditioning exists, as well. But I am not really in the mood to debate this. It kinda saddens me. I just wanted to type out my thoughts and have that be enough. I know many will disagree but I'm not going to go pages defending it when I know it will be fruitless.

    You've decided "capitalism" is the evil, and it isn't. I suppose after a millenia of generations it will and can be equivocated with something like human sacrifice, like Mayans sacrificing virgins on the mountain top, but, I know that isn't what you're about.

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    except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
  • gue_barium wrote:
    You've decided "capitalism" is the evil, and it isn't. I suppose after a millenia of generations it will and can be equivocated with something like human sacrifice, like Mayans sacrificing virgins on the mountain top, but, I know that isn't what you're about.


    I don't believe in good and evil. I believe in what is working for society and what's not. So what am I about?
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    Thank you, Angelica!! You always make me feel sane. I get the selfish, lazy comments all the time, too. I'm living for me not living to work...anytime I can get out of working, I'm jumping all over it. Time spent on me is worth way more than any money I could earn. Cheers to your daughter!!

    She always gives me a craving for Cocoa Puffs.

    all posts by ©gue_barium are protected under US copyright law and are not to be reproduced, exchanged or sold
    except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    I don't believe in good and evil. I believe in what is working for society and what's not. So what am I about?

    Wait a second, don't turn this around on me.

    Let me ask you this: Is Capitalism good or bad?

    You don't have to answer now, I know it's sleepy time.

    It's cool, all is cool. Happy Birthday.

    I'm guessing you would answer that Capitalism is Bad.

    I'm not saying you're wrong.

    all posts by ©gue_barium are protected under US copyright law and are not to be reproduced, exchanged or sold
    except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
  • gue_barium wrote:
    Wait a second, don't turn this around on me.

    Let me ask you this: Is Capitalism good or bad?

    You don't have to answer now, I know it's sleepy time.

    It's cool, all is cool. Happy Birthday.

    I'm guessing you would answer that Capitalism is Bad.

    I'm not saying you're wrong.

    It's a bad idea by people who view it as a good one. What are you carrying on about?
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • gue_barium wrote:
    Wait a second, don't turn this around on me.

    Let me ask you this: Is Capitalism good or bad?

    You don't have to answer now, I know it's sleepy time.

    It's cool, all is cool. Happy Birthday.

    I'm guessing you would answer that Capitalism is Bad.

    I'm not saying you're wrong.

    You remind me of someone but I'll keep that thought to myself.
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • angelicaangelica Posts: 6,038
    gue_barium wrote:
    Wait a second, don't turn this around on me.
    Interesting. I thought she was explaining her position, which is all about her.
    I'm guessing you would answer that Capitalism is Bad.

    I'm not saying you're wrong.
    You are the one turning this around to being about you. She told you she doesn't believe in good and evil. If you have a different agenda, that's not about her.
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    It's a bad idea by people who view it as a good one. What are you carrying on about?

    Shit. You may outlast me on this argument.

    The thing is, this is Che's thread. If he doesn't go in for Environmental Science, I think he makes a good transcendent of a new Rage Against the Machine. If he's musically inclined.

    all posts by ©gue_barium are protected under US copyright law and are not to be reproduced, exchanged or sold
    except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
  • El_KabongEl_Kabong Posts: 4,141
    Here's my 2 cents....for what its worth anyway.

    The 9-5 working world is a facade. 40 hr/ wk. office and factory jobs are not useless because they are necessary to keep the world running. However, I will always believe in the motto "all in moderation". These people invest 40 hrs each week to their job and many times take them on as another family----but then what happens to their personal life and family at home? Many people have alot of trouble trying to balance work life with the home life and in many cases, it just doesn't work. Unless of course your girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse works with you or you've worked out some way to include the family in your work.

    I feel that many people can get burnt out on the traditional standards of a work week. It may have worked for our grandparents--- but they also still valued the importance of the housewife to help alleviate the stress of the husband----a notion that is unfortunately overlooked in this day and age. Most couples are so concerned with maintaining a 2-income family to gain more money, that they lose sight of their quality of life---meaning that they never have enough time for everything and everyone is always too stressed out. The little important things get overlooked and their children get neglected in many subtle ways.

    So, I guess what I'm getting at is that you should try to build a career that is flexible--like working from home or being your own boss or put two different part time jobs together. This is what I've found to work for me so far. Good luck to ya, Cheguevara6. :)


    i read that just a few years ago the avg 2 income family only had slightly more income than single income families just a few decades ago...

    it's like we're conditioned from childhood to not allow our humanity to grow. we spend 7-8 hrs a day in schools isolated from ppl outside our age and most of the time we're not allowed to even talk to them...that time is spent being taught the same useless stuff year after year...then we our time outside of school is eaten up by homework and tv...there is no time for families or community
    standin above the crowd
    he had a voice that was strong and loud and
    i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
    eager to identify with
    someone above the crowd
    someone who seemed to feel the same
    someone prepared to lead the way
  • El_KabongEl_Kabong Posts: 4,141
    Yeah, I was just making a general statement about the 40 hour workweek dissapearing.

    Since the beginning of time, I would say people have worked to provide food and shelter. Did the farmer 200 years ago want to be a farmer? No, it was a necessity. Work has always been a means to provide for the staples in our lives.

    I don't think any society is perfect. But I think in our society people can generally work in an area they enjoy, or at least caters to their strengths. With all of the scholarships out their for minorities and poorer folks, I do think that anyone who can say yes to school, and no to crime and mischief, can go far in life. I'm friends with college recruiters, and I know that diversity is as important as anything in colleges today. Just look at any college recruiting brochure...if there is one minority at the school, he or she will be on the cover. I will admit that some people have to work more for the dreams, but I think it is reasonable to be able to work hard in this country and realize your dream,or at least be better off than most of the rest of the world.
    i think there's a bit more poor ppl w/o access to higher 'education' than scholarships...not to mention the ones who grew up in a shitty educational system and environment that just seemed to fall by the wayside like so many do
    standin above the crowd
    he had a voice that was strong and loud and
    i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
    eager to identify with
    someone above the crowd
    someone who seemed to feel the same
    someone prepared to lead the way
  • angelicaangelica Posts: 6,038
    Thank you, Angelica!! You always make me feel sane. I get the selfish, lazy comments all the time, too. I'm living for me not living to work...anytime I can get out of working, I'm jumping all over it. Time spent on me is worth way more than any money I could earn. Cheers to your daughter!!

    My daughter's boyfriend is very intelligent, and he went out and became a trucker, so that he could work one day a week--four a month, trucking for a temporary service at his own bare necessity. He spends the rest of his time learning, learning, learning. His own mother is constantly on his case because of his "poor work ethic", that is drastically different than her own. He sees through the system and the idea of committing one's life to the purposes of others rather than one's own purposes.

    My boyfriend, who has a vast educational background in architecture and engineering, works a few days a week at temporary services, in labour jobs, when he needs to, in order to "survive" while spending the majority of his time working on creating his own workspace and business.

    I'm surrounded by open, aware people who are open to the inner voice and their personal calling. I personally don't think it's at all lazy to answer the call of life in one's self. I understand many do, but that's based on their own value system, which in that case is quite irrelevent as a standard in judging others. Someday the idea of uncovering one's dreams and goals and living as an extension of that will be normal. It's certainly healthy, if you can learn to manage the slings and arrows of those who don't understand.
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    angelica wrote:
    Interesting. I thought she was explaining her position, which is all about her.


    You are the one turning this around to being about you. She told you she doesn't believe in good and evil. If you have a different agenda, that's not about her.


    We exchange ideas here, angelica. In the here and now. We share ideas. It's always moving. It's never "me". Or you. Peace to you. I've seen your art. It is very good.

    all posts by ©gue_barium are protected under US copyright law and are not to be reproduced, exchanged or sold
    except by express written permission of ©gue_barium, the author.
  • angelicaangelica Posts: 6,038
    gue_barium wrote:
    We exchange ideas here, angelica. In the here and now. We share ideas. It's always moving. It's never "me". Or you. Peace to you. I've seen your art. It is very good.
    Are you pooping again. ;)
    "The opposite of a fact is falsehood, but the opposite of one profound truth may very well be another profound truth." ~ Niels Bohr

    http://www.myspace.com/illuminatta

    Rhinocerous Surprise '08!!!
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