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My job is ridiculous...

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by arkana, Nov 28, 2013.

  1. arkana

    arkana Very Tilted

    Location:
    canada
    I love my work, but if aliens came down to Earth and I had to explain myself to them, it would sound insane:

    "I spend an irrational amount of hours solving musical "problems" that I created myself."
    "I practice writing about this process so 3 people can eventually read my dissertation."
    "I study music that is mostly about 50 years old from a culture I've never been a part of and wouldn't be able to handle the lifestyle of."
    "I actively discourage any common measuring stick by which to evaluate my students' success."


    View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKSMbPbuGYE


    What's ridiculous about your work? What, in our modern world, doesn't make any sense about it?

    This isn't about shitting on your job. This is about the work you love but don't expect anyone else to understand why you do it.
     
    arkana, Nov 28, 2013
    #1
  2. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    I spend hours chasing numbers so I can demonstrate "learning gains." Nevermind all the stuff I have no control over--whether or not they studied, whether or not they ate breakfast, whether or not they got a good night's sleep, whether or not they've suffered any tragedies recently. Nevermind all the stuff that can't be quantified--prosocial behaviors, such as treating their friends and family kindly, such as being mature, such as showing empathy to others.

    Better yet--there's a movement to tie the performance of my students to my pay! Cause that makes SO MUCH SENSE.
     
    snowy, Nov 28, 2013
    #2
    • Like Like x 1
  3. Plan9

    Plan9 Rock 'n Roll

    Location:
    Earth
    "I get paid x times as much as you to make sure XYZ's employees have a nasty plastic box in which to take a dump."
     
    Plan9, Nov 28, 2013
    #3
  4. Baraka_Guru

    Baraka_Guru Möderätor Staff Member

    Location:
    Toronto
    I've been known to get paid no less than $300 to read a 75-page book of poetry in the comfort of my own home (i.e., pyjamas).

    I've been known to get paid over $3,000 to fix the grammar and spelling of an essentially unpublishable manuscript (in my pyjamas).

    I sometimes have to correct accountants on their math and doctors on their medical terminology.

    I've been known to cruise Twitter and Facebook for as much as $35 an hour.

    Did I say I work in my pyjamas?

    I often go 10 hours without seeing or speaking to anyone.

    I don't really have any special skills or anything. I just use the human innate capacity for language and turn that into money. (I should try getting into teaching people how to breathe for a living.)

    Yet...my income resembles that of a recent college grad (yes, employed), so it's not all what it's cracked up to be.

    Where x = 3.

    Am I right?
     
    Baraka_Guru, Nov 28, 2013
    #4
  5. Charlatan

    Charlatan sous les pavés, la plage

    Location:
    Temasek
    My job is ridiculous. I get paid what I think is a shit tonne of money to talk to people about ideas for media content (TV Shows, Digital Properties, Radio, Newspaper, etc.).

    I scour the world looking for what I think are the best ones. These "opportunities" are then given to my colleague to spin into money.

    I don't have a budget. I don't have to do anything but find good ideas.

    I am still kind of freaking out that this is: a) a job and b) my job.
     
    Charlatan, Nov 28, 2013
    #5
    • Like Like x 1
  6. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Very Tilted

    Location:
    Yucatan, Mexico
    Yeah I got nothing... but wheels turn from time to time.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2013
    Tully Mars, Nov 28, 2013
    #6