S
solerina
Guest
I would have done this as a poll but I don't think it would have revealed as much as this thread would . I'm trying to confront the common myth that noone likes work . I love work when I HAVE A PURPOSE .
G
Griffin
Guest
I loved working in the bookies as it was escape from being just a mother and housewife. I could have conversations with adults, watch the racing, drink tea, do some shopping and get paid for it 
Mr GG always called it my hobby, he didn't see it as a job because I enjoyed it so much.
On the otherhand, he is very good at his job but he hates it. If we won the lottery he'd give it up straight away, whereas I'd probably go back to work in the bookies because it's more than just a job to me.
Mr GG always called it my hobby, he didn't see it as a job because I enjoyed it so much.On the otherhand, he is very good at his job but he hates it. If we won the lottery he'd give it up straight away, whereas I'd probably go back to work in the bookies because it's more than just a job to me.
simmo
Senior Jockey
Bollocks. Work is shit.
Although someone I spoke to the other day told me that he "loves feeling a seething hatred for his work because it reminds him that he is alive", so perhaps it does serve some valuable purpose.
Although someone I spoke to the other day told me that he "loves feeling a seething hatred for his work because it reminds him that he is alive", so perhaps it does serve some valuable purpose.
Colin Phillips
At the Start
The problem with work is that the hours are too long and retirement is too late.
Such a bloody waste of time, when you could be going racing.
Such a bloody waste of time, when you could be going racing.
I gained a lot from most of the jobs I've done, which I suspect most of us do without always realizing it. Unless you're entirely devoid of any imagination, and just want to stay 9-5 in one job for life (it used to be called loyalty, but now it's perceived as being dull-witted), new types of work usually tap into different strengths - and weaknesses - and skills, or the lack of them.
Anyone who claims to hate a job which they still roll up to do is lying, of course. They're like babies on the teat: they need to have their daily suck of whatever it is the job provides them with, otherwise they have a masochistic streak which takes pleasure in pain. As the human brain is wired for pleasure, they're getting some from whatever it is they do. Perhaps they just enjoy feeling superior to their colleagues or customers, or because they are at heart frightened of change and the challenges it brings, would rather stay in the security of what they know, however much they detest it.
Whatever work is, it usually represents more than just money to the worker.
Anyone who claims to hate a job which they still roll up to do is lying, of course. They're like babies on the teat: they need to have their daily suck of whatever it is the job provides them with, otherwise they have a masochistic streak which takes pleasure in pain. As the human brain is wired for pleasure, they're getting some from whatever it is they do. Perhaps they just enjoy feeling superior to their colleagues or customers, or because they are at heart frightened of change and the challenges it brings, would rather stay in the security of what they know, however much they detest it.
Whatever work is, it usually represents more than just money to the worker.
simmo
Senior Jockey
I disagree.
For example, I hate my current job for a variety of reasons which I won't go into. The pleasure aspect which you refer to, in my instance, comes from having sufficient cash at the end of the month to enable me to continue living in the lifestyle to which I have become accustomed.
I derive no pleasure from any aspect of my work at this time.
The people here are twats (and I don't mean the fish), so I can't even say that it's worth it for that, which I might have done in previous jobs.
As to the question "why don't you go and get a job you like?", my answer would be that I can't think of one which I might enjoy (they all involve giving far too much of yourself for someone else's benefit), I have no desire to set up in business for myself as this would require far too much effort, thus detracting from the things I do enjoy, and would most probably result in little additional benefit at the end of the day and finally, I wouldn't get a job paying me any more than I already get without being willing to put in more effort (for someone else's benefit).
In the words of a Glaswegian folk musician
"I'm looking for a job with a sky high pay,
a three day week and a two hour day."
Shadow Leader
At the Start
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2003
- Messages
- 9,884
I love my job which is good as it can involve long hours and I'm not so sure that I could throw myself into it the way I do if I hated it. It's a given for me that I will have to work long hours in the summer so throughout that period I get my head down and get stuck into it. I often voluntarily work longer hours than are required as I am happy to put in the extra effort to get what I want out of it - ie I want to progress, and as fast as possible.
simmo
Senior Jockey
That involves agreeing with wankers for the sake of it far too often for my liking.
But each to their own.....
I loved working for my current day job when we were all in the 'rush' of setting it up, working long hours, seeing the business starting to do well etc, sixteen years ago. Now - I am sick to death of it, put nowhere near the same amount of committment into it, am tired of the wrangling between my co-directors and spend much of my income from that on the stud and farm, with the aim of being self-sufficient doing that and being able to kiss the company good-bye!
The horses are a business - they have to make money or at least break even but I love do it - I also love having beef cattle and developing the pedigree BB herd and without doubt, even were I doing it full-time, it would never bore me.
Why else would so many farmers still be farming, even though they're either losing money or breaking even at best, if they didn't (much of the time) actually enjoy the life!?
The horses are a business - they have to make money or at least break even but I love do it - I also love having beef cattle and developing the pedigree BB herd and without doubt, even were I doing it full-time, it would never bore me.
Why else would so many farmers still be farming, even though they're either losing money or breaking even at best, if they didn't (much of the time) actually enjoy the life!?
Simmo, people who REALLY hate their jobs would change them. You've decided it's the least worst of all the options you feel are open to you, but I think you're being disingenuous to say there wouldn't be anything you wouldn't like to do (for the same, or more, money). Even if you won a mega-rollover Euromils I rather doubt that you'd do absolutely nothing at all, unless you hired a battery of staff to do everything for you, which would STILL require you to keep tabs on at least one of them!
I've never understood the problem with working for 'someone else', since we ALL work for someone else, even when we work 'for ourselves'. We work for customers, clients, for animals or for a cause. Work is not the antithesis of not working, either: even when not working, we keep others working by purchasing food (unless we're really into prana), clothing, airtime, whatever. And so the wheel goes round.
I've never understood the problem with working for 'someone else', since we ALL work for someone else, even when we work 'for ourselves'. We work for customers, clients, for animals or for a cause. Work is not the antithesis of not working, either: even when not working, we keep others working by purchasing food (unless we're really into prana), clothing, airtime, whatever. And so the wheel goes round.
Flagship uberalles
Journeyman
Krizon,
I have to completely disagree with you there. There are many people who are remain stuck in unsatisfying, dead-end or simply crap jobs because they cannot financially afford to leave them and are unable to locate an alternative.
I've been applying for jobs for 6 months, had 3 second interviews and am still stuck in just about the most unfulfilling and pointless job I can imagine. And I can't quit it because I have rent to pay and a car to keep on the road.
G
Griffin
Guest
Mr GG hates his job but it pays well and he doesn't have to work long hours. He could earn more money if he were prepared to travel further or to work away at times but he'd hate to be away from the children more than he hates his job. As it is, he gets to see them before he goes to work in the morning and he's home by 6pm so gets to spend a good few hours with them at night. And who is to say that he'd have the same kind of job security elsewhere? He could find a better paid job but then lose it in months. With mouths to feed and bills to pay, he doesn't want to take that chance.
simmo
Senior Jockey
And you would be wrong. Unless you would actually include spending money as working (and thus keeping other people in employment), in which case I would be trying very hard to keep up the good work.
As for the problem with "working for someone else". I would equate the worth of a job to whatever it is that I take out from it. (and conversely my employers see my worth as being what I put in to the job). As it happens I have never worked in any industry where I felt that the product I was providing added anything to what I took from it (as opposed to what my customer took from it).
What I take from my job doesn't have to be financial, there are many things which I have taken from jobs in the past, knowledge, experience, friendship etc etc. None of these "extras" are present in my current job.
Finally - there are a small number of things which I would rather be doing for the same, or more money. However, these are either unattainable without putting in additional effort which I am not prepared to sacrifice, simply unattainable due to my own limitations or unrealistic. The fact that it is a choice on my part to remain in a job I hate, in no way detracts from the validity of my hatred.
As things stand I do have a project in mind which may or may not improve the situation, but as with everything else in my life, there is a finite amount of energy that I am willing to expend in order to achieve the goal and if that is insufficient, then so be it.
Gee - how depressing, Simmo!
While I dislike my 'day job', I acknowledge that it does pay the bills and that I am, I reckon, fortunate to have. I also have the advatange that I really don't work directy for anybody else. I dearly wanted to shove it where the sun don't shine when my husband and I separated (we're co-directors along with a third person) but if I had done so, I would have had to have sold the farm and that wasn't an acceptable alternative in my eyes, so I had to shut up and get on with it. It was hard, though! Hence why I work from home and the relative isolation is the price I pay!
One thing I would hate, though, is not to have some sort of proper job or business - I'm afraid my parents did too good a job on me with the old Protestant Work Ethic... I get big guilt trips if I think I'm not working hard enough!!
While I dislike my 'day job', I acknowledge that it does pay the bills and that I am, I reckon, fortunate to have. I also have the advatange that I really don't work directy for anybody else. I dearly wanted to shove it where the sun don't shine when my husband and I separated (we're co-directors along with a third person) but if I had done so, I would have had to have sold the farm and that wasn't an acceptable alternative in my eyes, so I had to shut up and get on with it. It was hard, though! Hence why I work from home and the relative isolation is the price I pay!
One thing I would hate, though, is not to have some sort of proper job or business - I'm afraid my parents did too good a job on me with the old Protestant Work Ethic... I get big guilt trips if I think I'm not working hard enough!!
simmo
Senior Jockey
:lol: :lol: As evidenced by my posts on here, I don't.
I understand the need that some people have to do some sort of work (even in the event of a lottery win). I would guess that this is due to the different priorities that people place on different aspects of their life. And a good thing too.
Merlin the Magician
At the Start
A very old adage..... I love my job but hate my work..........we all been there sometime or other..................... 
Ah, but that's exactly what I meant when I said that many jobs represent far more to people than money, simmo! Even if the work itself is unloveable, many people still enjoy having those jobs because they are treated, let's say for the sake of argument, better than they are at home by their spouses (of either sex); they're respected, they have a good laugh with like-minded people, it builds their confidence in being able to do something, however modest, and so on and on. Working also tends to keep whatever leedle grey cells we have going - my own Mum worked full-time to 69, part-time to 70, and loved it.
Some of us, I guess, just like being involved with the outside world in that sort of capacity. When I came back from Saudi, age 47, I decided to retire from work, but was busy with refurbishing homes , letting or selling them in due course. I then took up part-time and then casual work because it keeps me in touch with a range of people, even given the microscopic world of racing!
Come the Euromils, yes, I'd give up the work I do, but the money would still have to go into 'doing something' that I could be involved in. Like you, I've had a project - a patented invention - in mind for a few years, but I lack the initiative to get off my fat backside and really push for it to become reality. Sometimes it's easier to do that than to face possible rejection or failure, which is what I suspect is more behind people's decisions to stay with what they've got than a lack of energy.
Some of us, I guess, just like being involved with the outside world in that sort of capacity. When I came back from Saudi, age 47, I decided to retire from work, but was busy with refurbishing homes , letting or selling them in due course. I then took up part-time and then casual work because it keeps me in touch with a range of people, even given the microscopic world of racing!
Come the Euromils, yes, I'd give up the work I do, but the money would still have to go into 'doing something' that I could be involved in. Like you, I've had a project - a patented invention - in mind for a few years, but I lack the initiative to get off my fat backside and really push for it to become reality. Sometimes it's easier to do that than to face possible rejection or failure, which is what I suspect is more behind people's decisions to stay with what they've got than a lack of energy.
simmo
Senior Jockey
See, we do agree after all.I didn't say it was a lack of energy btw, just that there was a finite amount of energy I was willing to expend on it. That amount is precisely that which is required to find out whether it is a goer or not. At that stage I can re-assess the reqirements for any additional energy based on the information which has subsequently come to light.
Good luck with whatever it is, simmo. I've procrastinated and made excuse after excuse to not get past a fairly expensive prototype phase, because I suppose in the end I realize it takes more energy than I've actually had over the past few years - I certainly would like more! Perhaps I need a steady intake of Lucozade Sport to gee me up!
Diamond Geezer
Gone But Not Forgotten
- Joined
- May 2, 2003
- Messages
- 13,884
After doing a job for eighteen years which I liked and was well paid for I was unexpectedly made redundant three years ago as a result of Argos sourcing their product from Poland, pulling the plug on our two biggest customers in the process, who folded and nearly took the Company I worked for with them.
I was then out of work for fifteen months as this area does not throw up too many opportunities but had a stroke of "luck" when landing a position literally two minutes from my front door in the same industry through someone I knew.
The new position is frustrating beyond belief and some days I have been close to walking out on it and have to remind myself that I havea job a lot of local people would love to have. It is well paid and there is a significant quarterly bonus, profit related, the latest one being a record one.However I have been applying for other jobs, have had two second interviews lately but withdrew my applications when eventually the final package offered did not match the position in my view. I find a lot of job advertisements are misleading and leave a lot of information out.
Through the grapevine I have heard I am up for promotion although no official offer has been made but the Company is so unorganised I feel I might be jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
Decisions, decisions.
I was then out of work for fifteen months as this area does not throw up too many opportunities but had a stroke of "luck" when landing a position literally two minutes from my front door in the same industry through someone I knew.
The new position is frustrating beyond belief and some days I have been close to walking out on it and have to remind myself that I havea job a lot of local people would love to have. It is well paid and there is a significant quarterly bonus, profit related, the latest one being a record one.However I have been applying for other jobs, have had two second interviews lately but withdrew my applications when eventually the final package offered did not match the position in my view. I find a lot of job advertisements are misleading and leave a lot of information out.
Through the grapevine I have heard I am up for promotion although no official offer has been made but the Company is so unorganised I feel I might be jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
Decisions, decisions.
BrianH
At the Start
I bet it was hot in that phone booth too...
Honest Tom
At the Start
- Joined
- May 2, 2003
- Messages
- 1,272
I
am
job
am
job
trudij
Senior Jockey
Love mine ( 90% of the time!!) :lol: but have had a lot of shit ones before i got this!! (including 8 1/2 years in a job that i never wanted to do!!!)