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May. 3rd, 2011 09:26 pmOne of the things I've noticed about this culture is just how singularly focused we are about professions. When you ask someone "What do you do?" with the assumption that it's about work, almost everyone will give only one answer, generally whatever their day job happens to be.
I think this is telling for a number of reasons. First of all, it shows just how much we identify ourselves through our jobs. "I'm a doctor." "I'm a programmer." "I'm a barista." "I'm a manager." And so forth. So often we measure our value and that of others through whatever our chosen profession is. Which sucks, because a doctor is no more inherently valuable a person than, say, a junkie. Humans are humans are humans, and life is precious regardless. But we apply that socioeconomic and class value to people, and much of it hinges on the primary form of income.
However, it's also telling that we are in a culture where we are funneled into one profession. We work a 40 hour a day work week at one location. We only get benefits for full time work. People who get double majors or have multiple degrees otherwise will generally put them toward one job, or will only end up using one. Basically, you go to school to get a job in one career, and if you change careers, it's swapping out one for the other.
And anything else productive you have besides your job? It's a hobby. A sideline. You aren't given enough time for anything more by the day job. If you try to make time, you may exhaust yourself.
All these are reasons why I am so focused on taking a different path--being self-employed with multiple professions. I intend to remain an artist, but I will also be a counselor, and I am retaking the title of author again. While I may dedicate different amounts of time to each of these depending on what's going on at any given month, all of these are important to who I am and what I do. So if I am asked what I do, I will say "I am a counselor, and an artist, and an author".
At least in some circumstances. There are still places where only the counseling will be considered a viable option, and I would prefer to avoid the judgment of others--more for the content of my writing and art than the fact that I am an artist and writer. But where it is safe to talk paganism and dead things, there I will be open about being many things, not just one.
I think this is telling for a number of reasons. First of all, it shows just how much we identify ourselves through our jobs. "I'm a doctor." "I'm a programmer." "I'm a barista." "I'm a manager." And so forth. So often we measure our value and that of others through whatever our chosen profession is. Which sucks, because a doctor is no more inherently valuable a person than, say, a junkie. Humans are humans are humans, and life is precious regardless. But we apply that socioeconomic and class value to people, and much of it hinges on the primary form of income.
However, it's also telling that we are in a culture where we are funneled into one profession. We work a 40 hour a day work week at one location. We only get benefits for full time work. People who get double majors or have multiple degrees otherwise will generally put them toward one job, or will only end up using one. Basically, you go to school to get a job in one career, and if you change careers, it's swapping out one for the other.
And anything else productive you have besides your job? It's a hobby. A sideline. You aren't given enough time for anything more by the day job. If you try to make time, you may exhaust yourself.
All these are reasons why I am so focused on taking a different path--being self-employed with multiple professions. I intend to remain an artist, but I will also be a counselor, and I am retaking the title of author again. While I may dedicate different amounts of time to each of these depending on what's going on at any given month, all of these are important to who I am and what I do. So if I am asked what I do, I will say "I am a counselor, and an artist, and an author".
At least in some circumstances. There are still places where only the counseling will be considered a viable option, and I would prefer to avoid the judgment of others--more for the content of my writing and art than the fact that I am an artist and writer. But where it is safe to talk paganism and dead things, there I will be open about being many things, not just one.