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You should probably quit your job

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Re: You should probably quit your job

#61

Post by danielharan »

Mz wrote: post #6
AndrewDucker wrote: post #3

I don't actually feel the need to change the world. There are some things I enjoy tinkering with, and I've been involved in a couple of minor political causes, but I clearly don't feel the same urge that this person does to get out there and remake the world. And so I am not likely to quit my job (which pays quite nicely, doesn't overstress me, and brings me the security to relax at the weekends and in the evenings)…

People who feel some overwhelming need to Change The World are basically projecting: Their "world" (internal mental landscape, personal life, whatever) is in desperate need of an overhaul. (Edit: I know because this was me, say, 20 to 30 years ago. Then I fixed my personal crap. I no longer feel like lecturing everyone else about what they "should" be doing.) I won't even read the piece. I skimmed it. This is the clo…

Oh, so you are projecting your pattern of 20 or 30 years ago on everyone else and lecturing us about how we're just selfish for changing the world?

I've seen plenty of people who have fixed their personal crap -- at that point they realized they were far more passionate about helping others than continuing to advance their careers.

Re: You should probably quit your job

#62

Post by felipemnoa »

Mz wrote: post #6
AndrewDucker wrote: post #3

I don't actually feel the need to change the world. There are some things I enjoy tinkering with, and I've been involved in a couple of minor political causes, but I clearly don't feel the same urge that this person does to get out there and remake the world. And so I am not likely to quit my job (which pays quite nicely, doesn't overstress me, and brings me the security to relax at the weekends and in the evenings)…

People who feel some overwhelming need to Change The World are basically projecting: Their "world" (internal mental landscape, personal life, whatever) is in desperate need of an overhaul. (Edit: I know because this was me, say, 20 to 30 years ago. Then I fixed my personal crap. I no longer feel like lecturing everyone else about what they "should" be doing.) I won't even read the piece. I skimmed it. This is the clo…

He wasn't talking to you. He is talking to the people that would like to quit their jobs. They know who they are. Too many people dream about doing something else but they never do. No need to get offended about this, unless you still have some deep desire to do it and that is why it bothers you?

Re: You should probably quit your job

#63

Post by grantismo »

zwieback wrote: post #40

Judging by this example of navel-gazing journalism, yes, maybe it's good the author quit his job and started a charity. The fact that he feels it's ok to publicly question his daughters ambitions to prove a dubious point further illustrates that he's not in a spot to contribute to the discussion about the value of people's career choices. The whole idea of a limited time in your life where you can make a difference i…

It seems like the journalist never realized that his personal situation doesn't apply to everyone. We could use the same anecdotes and say something far more meaningful, like "life is too short, do something you value."

A career isn't mutually exclusive with a life goal. For some, a career is a means to that goal, for others, it is the goal. To each his own.

Re: You should probably quit your job

#64

Post by mannicken »

Tichy wrote: post #13
AndrewDucker wrote: post #3

I don't actually feel the need to change the world. There are some things I enjoy tinkering with, and I've been involved in a couple of minor political causes, but I clearly don't feel the same urge that this person does to get out there and remake the world. And so I am not likely to quit my job (which pays quite nicely, doesn't overstress me, and brings me the security to relax at the weekends and in the evenings)…

So your goal in life is essentially to relax?

And your goal is to pretend you're making a huge difference that will probably not get noticed by anyone, and even if it does, it will be for a very short period of time and after a while everyone will die and forget about it, and then the Earth will die of heat death or something, and everything you made with your "YEAAAH!" enthusiasm and pain will be destroyed anyway.

Have fun with that perspective ;-)

Re: You should probably quit your job

#65

Post by mannicken »

wccrawford wrote: post #19
Tichy wrote: post #14

"Quitting your job" seems like the wrong directive. Find a better job.

I wouldn't even go that far. 'Evaluate your job' is more like it. Take stock of what you have, what you want, and what you can get. And IF it makes sense to change, seriously consider it. That all seems like common sense, but it's harder than it sounds.

Oh, common, guys. "Evaluate your job and all the possibilities and if necessary stay until you have reached financial stability or have another offer, in which case you can contemplate quitting" just has a bit less zing than "Storm into your boss's office say 'I QUIT' then defecate on his desk and leave with Metallica - Battery playing all around you.'

Re: You should probably quit your job

#66

Post by bitwize »

You should quit your job. But, sadly, you probably won't.

This line probably sounds best in the voice of Darrell Hammond's embittered-but-resigned, progressively drunker Jack Perkins from SNL about 15 years ago.

"That's a song. It's called 'Shadows of the Night' by Pat Benatar. We should do a Biography about her. But, I bet we won't."

Re: You should probably quit your job

#67

Post by Mz »

wladimir wrote: post #25
Mz wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who feel some overwhelming need to Change The World are basically projecting: Their "world" (internal mental landscape, personal life, whatever) is in desperate need of an overhaul. (Edit: I know because this was me, say, 20 to 30 years ago. Then I fixed my personal crap. I no longer feel like lecturing everyone else about what they "should" be doing.) I won't even read the piece. I skimmed it. This is the clo…

Right. Most people that have really improved the world have not done so by telling other people what to do, but by doing something themselves. But I think you're wrong in that everyone that tries to change the world only has personal issues to overcome, and if they do everything is alright. Believing that is pretty much solipsism. Sometimes the world really is wrong and can be fixed.

But I think you're wrong in that everyone that tries to change the world only has personal issues to overcome, and if they do everything is alright. Believing that is pretty much solipsism. Sometimes the world really is wrong and can be fixed.

No, that isn't my point at all. My point is that berating other people and lecturing them in the way this piece does typically comes from insecurity, hurt and so on. I would like to change the world and fix some things that are wrong. But I am not desperate to do so, I do not have overwhelming need, I try very hard to avoid sounding like I am lecturing. I don't always get it right. I just know that berating people does not make for less bad in the world, it makes for more bad -- it hurts people's feelings, it tears down their self esteem and so on. I spend a lot of time pondering how to resolve real problems effectively. I know from long experience that this approach is really not it.

Peace.

Re: You should probably quit your job

#68

Post by Mz »

felipemnoa wrote: post #62
Mz wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who feel some overwhelming need to Change The World are basically projecting: Their "world" (internal mental landscape, personal life, whatever) is in desperate need of an overhaul. (Edit: I know because this was me, say, 20 to 30 years ago. Then I fixed my personal crap. I no longer feel like lecturing everyone else about what they "should" be doing.) I won't even read the piece. I skimmed it. This is the clo…

He wasn't talking to you. He is talking to the people that would like to quit their jobs. They know who they are. Too many people dream about doing something else but they never do. No need to get offended about this, unless you still have some deep desire to do it and that is why it bothers you?

Nah, I'm not offended. And he was talking "to me": He said "You", which means anyone who reads the piece is being addressed directly even though it doesn't have my name in it. I would be perfectly happy to read a piece by him on why he left his job and such. I imagine that's a compelling story and would most likely go a lot further towards inspiring real change and inspiring the target audience (whomever that might be) towards actual action than this piece which is basically crabbing at them and assuming the worst about them.

Peace.

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