Today I came across this website, which has great photos of people working all around the world. It reminded me of this saying we have in Brasil: "O trabalho engrandece o homem." I'm not sure if there's a corresponding saying in English, meaning basically "work aggrandizes men". These sayings... I really wonder who has been saying them...I guess the supposed lesson in this saying is something like the value of persevering, of trying hard, of disciplining oneself - basically the Japanese idea of gambaru. And of course, I can see the value in all that. Giving up easily is definitely not ideal. However, what makes me sad is where people have to put their efforts on. Work has become an end in itself. All around the world, people are gambaru-ing, finding satisfaction in persevering for something other than their own dreams. For food, status, stability... The reasons are many but the truth is one: spending more time on the things you love, than on your responsibilities, is a luxury only a few enjoy.
Actually, given the circumstances and the sad inevitable situation in which some people find themselves in, I'm glad that they can find their happiness despite their work. I mean, it's for sure better than having to work AND being unhappy. It's just that I think people deserve more... Every single person in this planet deserves the chance to follow their dreams, to persevere for what they choose to, to develop their true potential. No one deserves to spend their lives doing something just because there was no better alternative. And everyone should know that. Everyone should be aware that they, as well as everyone else, deserve more. No one should be tricked into believing work aggrandizes men.
But these people who didn't really have a chance are not the only ones persevering in their work, and that's the part which puzzles me the most. All around me I see people worried about getting a job. I don't blame them, I know my time will come eventually. But why are they gambaru-ing so much for that? Trying so hard... Specially here in Japan where you get hired by a company having no idea what your actual tasks will be. You are just an employee, with no say as to what you will be actually doing. Preparations for job interviews, endless hours of study... for that? To work for others? What is it that they are looking for, is it the stability so they have spare time to follow their dreams, or is it the aggrandizing, all the virtues you get from working? What are YOU looking for?
2 comments:
Ah... its all about money. Everyone is a slave. those at the bottom of the ladder need it in order to get other necessity goods such as food. Those who already have those needs covered, want it to get the shiny goods such as ipods. Those who have the shiny goods want it in order to continue keeping more shiny goods.
Slaves.
No one thinks about the "virtues". Everyone only has the "money" in mind.
The "virtues" story is just invented as a side product from some optimist who looking on the positive side of things tries to make the best out of the enslavement that we can't escape (yet).
Personally though, to answer your question, I am looking for money so that I can have the spare time to follow my dreams.; because until people join me in some sort of revolution against the corporations and the system, I have no other choice but to learn how to survive in this money-ed world.
So many of todays jobs are valueless, I would say that the candlemaker shown in the picture does 10x or 100x the work of your average cubicle engineer ;)
Post a Comment