Work Lies

If the following sounds slightly bitter, it's probably because it is. After a full year post-graduation, it dawned on me how much of a sham American work culture is. To spend 5 days a week living for the other 2 simply doesn't add up to me. I'm not a numbers guy, but that shit is dumb stupid. In a short-bus kind of way.

My whole beef starts with the school system. Education is good, don't get me wrong. I'm not retarded, and that's more than likely attributed to my education which culminated, so unceremoniously, with an undergraduate degree. But in effect, most kids leave a system that teaches them how to memorize shit and follow instructions, having little encouragement for independent thought or reward for nontraditional modes of thinking. In essence, we were indoctrinated into work culture the minute we sat down at the round table with our lunch boxes and trapper notebooks. [Which I dearly miss having].

When I talk to 90% of my friends about work, I invariably hear the same response, "I hate my job." Now I can already hear some of you people saying, "well duhhhh, captain fucking obvious." But wait, do the math. Figure people work anywhere between 40 to 60 hours [and some of you real lucky bastards will damn near hit triple digits]. There are 120 hours, Monday through Friday, and figure if you sleep a bare minimum 5 hours a night, that leaves you with 95 hours. Basically, people are spending anywhere from half to all of their time at work.

And somehow, it has become self-evident in this country to hate your job. Looking at simply the numbers, it's clear that work becomes your life. So to say "I hate my job" isn't really as axiomatic as it seems. Or at least it shouldn't be, because in essence, people are saying they hate their lives, as most of the adult life is lived in the workplace. Congratulations on graduating, here's your

Yes, i realize that work, in any sense of the word, does not mean fun. Nor should it. But the slew of adjectives that I hear should also not be synonymous with work either. Terms like "mind-numbing" or "soul-sucking" or "whatevers" are generally the ones I hear tossed around.

What are we all working for? Why do we spend so much time at the office? Is it loans? Or maybe saving to buy a house? Do you need to take care of the family?

All common and very respectable answers. I am all for that shit. Money is good, and so is productivity. It lets you buy cool shit like Vane Gear. And lasers. But what happens, after the 20 or so years that it takes to amass this wealth? What happens when the loans are paid, the house is in escrow, and the 'rents are retired down in Florida?



Well, we get not only amazing comedies like Office Space and The Office, but the phenomenon known as The Mid-Life Crisis. You look back and realize that you spent your best years building some small measure of personal wealth, but ultimately it was spent generating a shit ton of money for someone other than yourself.

So, take this time. Own it, and enjoy it. If you hate your job, examine why, and if you would be happier doing something else. If you can work for yourself, then shit, even better. Generate your own money. You will be ultimately happier, I promise. Do what you gotta do to survive and pay the bills, believe me I ain't knocking the hustle. Just realize that we ain't getting younger, and that no matter how you cut it, promotions and vacations are no substitute for life.