Bringing It to the Table

[curly_kate]

I'm reading this book, by Wendell Berry. He has made some interesting points, and I'm only in the first chapter.

"With industrialization has come a general depreciation of work. As the price of work has gone up, the value of it has gone down, until it is now so depressed that people simply do not want to do it anymore. We can say without exaggeration that the present national ambition of the United States is unemployment. People live for quitting time, for weekends, for vacations and for retirement; moreover, this ambition seems to be classless, as true in the executive suites as on the assembly lines. One works not because the work is necessary, valuable, useful to a desirable end, or because one loves to do it, but only to be able to quit - a condition that a saner time would regard as infernal, a condemnation. This is explained, of course, by the dullness of the work, by the loss of responsibility for, or credit for, or knowledge of the thing made. What can be the status of the working small farmer in a nation whose motto is a sigh of relief: 'Thank God it's Friday'?"

This passage really hit the nail on the head for me. I am working a job where I can't wait until the weekend, and I have a master's degree, so I am not a drone in a factory. My job is very 'corporate', and the most important thing, above all else, is profit. I often find myself thinking how I should have been a carpenter because how awesome would that be to be able to create something that you (or someone else) can use as your job?? I agree that that a large part of the poor work ethic in this country is the fact that so many of the jobs that are to be had are menial, trivial, or generally pointless. Altho, I guess this all has a different tone given the general LACK of available employment these days.

What are your thoughts? Do you have the good fortune of having a job that you look forward to every day?

 

[freemotion]

You can work for your own wealth or for someone else's. I have been mostly self-employed for this reason. I love my work. My one little part-time job puts me on a faster track for some of my goals in self-employment, so it is not just a "job" either, it is a means to more self-employment income, ultimately. And leveraging. You can leverage or be leveraged....

But we are trained to be drones in the public school system. Arrive on time, sit quietly and do your work, get permission for any movement, and go home when the bell rings. Don't think creatively, do what you are told and be quiet.

Or if you do think creatively, here is your same paycheck (maybe a little bonus), and the company makes oodles of money from your ideas.

Not everyone can or wants to be self-employed, but I couldn't survive with my sanity intact any other way!

My sanity is intact, isn't it?

 

[bibliophile birds]

Wendell Berry is a god. seriously. if he weren't happily married (and was quite a bit younger), i'd be up there in Kentucky throwing myself at him. i mean, what is sexier than a farmer who is also a poet and amazing idealist? answer: nothing.

you should see my copy of Bringing It to the Table. it's basically all yellow where i've highlighted the "important" and "powerful" bits, which, lets face it, is pretty much every word the man writes.

 

[Lady Henevere]

I am also reading this book right now. Tons of awesome, insightful writing throughout. It's really, really good.

The passage you quoted also gave me pause for thought, partly for the reason that Americans generally work more than other countries (more hours per week and less vacation time than Europeans, for example). We as a culture seem to have disregarded the pleasure of leisure in favor of "hard work," so we can pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and achieve the American dream. This may have been a great idea for the founding fathers and several generations thereafter, but is it true anymore? I don't think so, for the reasons Berry points out ("This is explained, of course, by the dullness of the work, by the loss of responsibility for, or credit for, or knowledge of the thing made."). How many people truly have meaningful jobs? How many are rewarded for doing great work rather as opposed to working company politics? How many workers are seen as unique and important rather than replaceable drones? Not enough, I think. And we have this "hard work is a great thing" attitude as a society, so basically we're working long hours in meaningless jobs and we're not getting ahead. (Well, except for a few at the top who are getting way ahead, but that's a whole 'nother issue.)

I am working a job where I can't wait until the weekend, and I have a master's degree, so I am not a drone in a factory. My job is very 'corporate', and the most important thing, above all else, is profit. I often find myself thinking how I should have been a carpenter because how awesome would that be to be able to create something that you (or someone else) can use as your job??

I am right there with you. I have been thinking about ways out for quite a while. I haven't found the answer yet.

 

[curly_kate]

And we have this "hard work is a great thing" attitude as a society, so basically we're working long hours in meaningless jobs and we're not getting ahead. (Well, except for a few at the top who are getting way ahead, but that's a whole 'nother issue.)

I actually do like "hard work" in the literal sense. I enjoy working up a sweat if I'm doing something I feel is worthwhile: digging weeds in the garden, cleaning out the chicken coop, canning tomatoes, etc. I think that a large part of the "laziness problem" in this country is that we are taught that it's "bad" to have a job where you actually work for a living. I was a teacher for a while, and it was so frustrating how the "bright" kids were steered away from going to the vocational school, as if being a mechanic, plumber, carpenter, etc. were a bad thing. In reality, tho, the people I know who are employed in the trades are generally much happier than those of us who are cubicle jockeys.