"We don't do it for the $$$"
One thing that me and most of my friends have in common is the fact that we are all generally happy with our lives and our life choices. Aka - we don't have jobs we hate, or if we hate them will fill our off-work time with things that we love.
I have been thinking a lot lately about how idealists [such as myself] often end up being academics or end up in the non-profit world, doing something that "helps" people. We work X job because it gives us satisfaction. We have the job and we are usually underpaid, overworked, and not appreciated by the superiors and perhaps not appreciated by society as a whole.
As idealists, these jobs sometimes trouble us, because we think we are putting a "band-aid" on the broken system's wound. Keeping the masses somewhat taken care of and getting the services they need. But we have these jobs because we LIKE them. We get satisfaction out of knowing that we are doing something to help under-served communities, women, etc. So in a sense, the job just keeps us satisfied while living in a world that we are sad about. At the same time, it will only be a certain amount of time before the overworked, underpaid, and lack of appreciation gets to you. So you can really ask - how much are you REALLY helping ANYTHING or anyone...
The current economic and political system in the United States probably LOVES people like me - working for little money to "help" people. I am exactly what covers their asses [people in power]. How do I feel about that? I'm not quite sure. But I do know that I help a lot of people everyday, and I like that. And I think I would like it in any country with any socio-political system.
I have been thinking a lot lately about how idealists [such as myself] often end up being academics or end up in the non-profit world, doing something that "helps" people. We work X job because it gives us satisfaction. We have the job and we are usually underpaid, overworked, and not appreciated by the superiors and perhaps not appreciated by society as a whole.
As idealists, these jobs sometimes trouble us, because we think we are putting a "band-aid" on the broken system's wound. Keeping the masses somewhat taken care of and getting the services they need. But we have these jobs because we LIKE them. We get satisfaction out of knowing that we are doing something to help under-served communities, women, etc. So in a sense, the job just keeps us satisfied while living in a world that we are sad about. At the same time, it will only be a certain amount of time before the overworked, underpaid, and lack of appreciation gets to you. So you can really ask - how much are you REALLY helping ANYTHING or anyone...
The current economic and political system in the United States probably LOVES people like me - working for little money to "help" people. I am exactly what covers their asses [people in power]. How do I feel about that? I'm not quite sure. But I do know that I help a lot of people everyday, and I like that. And I think I would like it in any country with any socio-political system.
Helllllll yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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