on Life

No job is worth a life, yet in the USA more and more jobs demand precisely that.  Indeed, to me it seems likely many countries that have embraced capitalism as the basis of their social system make similar demands of their citizens.

Are these harsh words?  I don’t think they are, but they will certainly be unpopular.  Why?  Well, something that fascinates me is how fanatical capitalists are about the merits of their chosen system.  Sadly, that fanaticism reminds me of religious dogma.  Have you ever noticed how religiously indoctrinated people are incapable of questioning the most rudimentary inconsistencies of their religion?  Furthermore, they seem incapable of differentiating questions about the fundamental basis of their beliefs from attacks upon their deity and themselves.  Unfortunately, dogma is that powerful.

In the USA capitalism has become the most prevalent dogma.

Do you doubt me?  Let me illustrate my point by invoking a single word.  Socialism.  Socialism is bad, right?  Why?  Because it isn’t capitalism?  That is dogma – you’re not allowed to even consider alternatives.   When you have difficulty thinking about alternatives without feeling you’re somehow betraying your fundamental beliefs, you have been indoctrinated by dogma .  {I’m going to revisit this topic in future posts, count on that.)

But, for now, let me get back to the opening assertion in this post

I wonder how many lives have been shattered by the demands of unreasonable employers? I wonder how many people have sacrificed their families and/or their relationships for their jobs?  I suspect the number is vastly higher than is morally acceptable.

Am I making this stuff up?  Unfortunately I am not, I’m speaking from personal experience gathered over the last two decades.  Twenty years spent watching in horror as the quality of the life of everyone I know degrades.  It has been particularly bad recently.  How bad?  Well, in the twelve weeks preceding Thanksgiving, my hands down favorite holiday, I was home for seven days.  Total.  To be clear, that wasn’t a week of ease spent at home, that was a total of seven days spread out over several bits.  But it gets worse.  In the two weeks preceding Thanksgiving I worked 162.5 hours.  I didn’t have a choice my principals could let me live with, I had to do it.  And no – I didn’t do it for the overtime, I did it because my conscience would not let me let the customer down.

My job did that to me, but I will never let it do so again.

So I guess I’ll have to get a new job that allows me to live…  It is long past time.

Please don’t think I’m looking for your sympathy, I’m not. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, but I do know that many of you have your own horror stories about what work has done to you or those you love.  So no, I’m not looking for your sympathy – I’m looking for your understanding.  Sadly, I suspect understanding might be even harder for you to grant.

About C.G.Ayling

Musing misuser of words, lover of lyrical literature, author, occasional contrary thoughts. An honorable man’s name, in memoriam.
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