Why’s is it cool to hate your craft?

I love my vocation - it's my second passion in life behind my relationships with family and friends. But corporate life can go fuck off, and that's where much of the angst comes from. Kinda hard to get people excited about work when their employers vacillate between "we want to exploit you" and "we don't need you".

I think that there's a shit ton of people that do factory work. Assembling widgets for 9 hours a day, five days a week, fifty two weeks a year for life would be a death sentence for me.
I like what I do and I am good at it. Being a skilled tradesman vs a factory slave is a big difference

Hell if I know or GAF what other people think of my life choices, but I was a federal wildland firefighter for 33 years when I retired at the end of 2020. However I am still in the fire game even 2 years post-retirement bc of a lack of people qualified at my level and that underlying sense of duty. There was a time (prob in the 90’s and early 2000’s) when my identify was tied to what I did for a living but that was when I was in the “live to work” mindset and I truly enjoyed what I did. It was a fun career, I traveled to a lot of cool places, worked with some great people, and in my mind I helped make a difference. I wanted to be on a wildfire, or a FEMA disaster (gasp), or prescribed burning something 12 months a year, and some years I was on the road 200+ days out of the year.

The last third of my career I ended up in management at nat’l headquarters but still lived for fire assignments bc it was my first passion and also got me the hell out of the office. When I hit eligibility for retirement I charged at it like a bull in a china shop bc somewhere around 2008 I shifted mindset to “work to live” which coincidentally was about the same time I started competition shooting (USPSA, IDPA, 3-gun, hell even Silhouette in the winter). 2017-ish I discovered PRS and last fall I discovered NRL22. So my passions shifted from firefighting to shooting comps, and most of my close friends are now in the shooting community who couldn’t care less what I did for a living and we just enjoy practicing or shooting matches together.

Am I proud of my career? Sure am no doubt about it knowing I achieved a level in the org that not many people get to. But there came a time when I didn’t need to have my identity tied to my day job to feel self-fulfilled. Like I said I still do it, but that clock is ticking down and another year or two once I train my replacement I’m gonna be retired-retired and the next generation will be on their own bc I’ll be spending my time at the range or hanging out in my camper van down by the river.

I love the art of what I do and I’m proud of the work I put in but neither of those things is why I go to work. I go because I like the money which is absurdly good for what I do. If you handed me a couple million, I’d never do my thang for anyone else again.

My attitude changes by the work I do. As an electrician some shit is cool and fun and something to be proud of.


Then I have to do some houses and I lose all motivation and don't give a shit about anything.

I make sure my work is good. I'm not proud of it and don't care when I leave though, it's just torture. On one hand it seems odd because right now I'm 25000' of Romex into a 7500 SQ ft house and still need to go back and add and change things. On the other I think it's the fact that the owners and contractors are so completely out to lunch.

Nothing breaks the job site down quicker than being told to tear out last months work and spend a month redoing it because "I think I want to change where the furniture goes".

We remind them that we charge by the hour a lot.


Then I'll go to a commercial site and run conduit for a month and actually feel like I accomplished something worthwhile.

E. Bryant said:

I love my vocation - it's my second passion in life behind my relationships with family and friends. But corporate life can go fuck off, and that's where much of the angst comes from. Kinda hard to get people excited about work when their employers vacillate between "we want to exploit you" and "we don't need you".

Click to expand...

Corporations can truly take any enjoyment and fulfillment out of a vocation.

I left a career over it. Got tired of all the meaningless "make work projects" that did nothing but take my time away from aspects of the business/operation that actually mattered, and the continual degradation of my quality of life on the job site to save money for the shareholders of a multi-billion dollar fortune 50 company. Last straw was when they expected me as an individual to take on legal liability to save the company money.

Not going to work for a corporation anymore. Left an industry that's dominated by some of the biggest and most powerful corporations, to do something completely different. My plan is to work for myself in the near future.

There's a question...
Would you still do your job if you hit the lottery? Like publishers clearing house that pays $10K per week for life.
I think I would still do what I do. I would when I was in town.

TurboTrout said:

So much of this trendy “I work to live, I don’t live to work”

I’m like go suck start a 12G, I mean a majority of your life, what you will be remembered for are the fruits of your labors, not wanting to do said craft seems sad

Lots of these types of people if I mention that I LOVE my job and don’t see myself ever retiring regardless of money, like my retirement is death, they almost get offended

What gives? I mean was it that long ago men were proud of what they did?

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I loved being a Marine for the first 13 years of my career. Then we allowed the openly gay, then the women in combat arms. Along the way, we put more focus on inclusion instead of combat effectiveness. I lost man hours having to sit in indoctrination I didn't believe in.

I became so disillusioned that I've never put a single "USMC" item on since retirement...except for a unit t-shirt the boys gave me on my last day.

I'm now a rancher, and am going to be managing my wife's Veterinary practice. I still maintain great pride in those because my work input equals my results (or my my results are a direct reflection of my efforts). I think that if a man can show for his efforts...then the rest of his work-related attitude is a display of his character.

DarnYankeeUSMC said:

There's a question...
Would you still do your job if you hit the lottery? Like publishers clearing house that pays $10K per week for life.
I think I would still do what I do. I would when I was in town.

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Totally. I’m retired. It’s my job and I do it well.

OREGUN said:

I love the art of what I do and I’m proud of the work I put in but neither of those things is why I go to work. I go because I like the money which is absurdly good for what I do. If you handed me a couple million, I’d never do my thang for anyone else again.

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This. I love the trade and am very good at it. That said, I'd take my memories and never look back if I could. The trade is so diluted with entitled cunts who never would have cut it without the new fall protection and feeling protection. Then there's management.........

66 YO - just Rage Quit/Retired in January after 49 years of working. Back in the 70's - paid my Way thru college in electronics engineering/process control by working 3 jobs and going to school full time. I wanted the engineering degree because I was working in Background Music and Paging and pulling wire and busting holes in concrete/climbing ladders and working on New Construction was cool when I was 19 but I watched them literally destroy a couple of Dudes over 60 and knew that was not for me - pro musician at 18 and basically an audio artist. Finished college in 1976 and promptly was hired onto a 9 piece horn band and toured/opened for serious talent wanting to be a recording engineer when I learned all the ropes. Loved my Life - loved my jobs.

Came off The Road in late 1978 and took a job back in the Background Music industry and played weekends/part time. My employer eventually fired me because I needed weekends off to continue working as a live musician. Moved to Chicago and worked for another Communications contractor and played evening and weekends in some awesome venues. 1979 the Shit Hit The Fan - lost everything, lived in a car, moved back home with a hot mama (later my Wife of 43 years) and finished the Summer of 1979 living on the streets. Still loved my Life. Found weekend gigs back in my home area and ended up renting an apartment....found another Day Job. Loved my Life. Made more money than my Dad working a day job at a TV Repair place and playing music evening and weekends.

Bought into a TV Repair/Consumer Electronics business and was President and Chief Technician between 1981 and 2000. Showed dogs when I wasn't playing music and taught Martial Arts - 3 jobs and more fun and love than I can recall. Started making custom cutlery with a smith from Canada and sold at least one piece for serious money. I was loving Life and doing what I loved and making a huge Living. In 1999 the Consumer Repair Industry died, we closed the business and I fired everyone after finding them new jobs..shortly after the Live Music Venue died and Bands now had to *PAY* a bar to play the weekend. The Martial Arts became all about money and promotions from California. We closed the Dojo and I retired from that.....2007 The Great Recession hit and all the custom cutlery work died as nobody had the money to pay for it. I was back in the Audio Visual and Video industry. Made good money - hated the gig. Suck Corporate cock or find a new gig. I hated my Life, my job, my future.

Pulled my shit together and worked hard at the day job from 2007 to 2022 having 3 different jobs in 2017 - not one business/corp I worked for had any integrity. It was all about Sales and sucking cock. I was miserable. In 2020 they laid me off the get millions in PPP /money with no Plan to bring me back even though my Field Service Specialist position was literally making them rich. Brought me back in late 202o but took my seniority and started me as a "New Hire" busted me to "installer" and *BaM!* at 66 YO and 49 years of Experience I'm pulling wire and hauling ladders and sucking cock on a new construction site again. I was livid. The world my work ethic evolved in is gone and dead, never to return.

So I walked, emptied the truck and had my Wife pick me up and never went back. I'm on SS, I get $2K a month on SS and have $1/2 million in Retirement Savings currently in the shitter but still we are making enough to continue eating and moving ahead. House paid for - cars paid for. No debt.

My time is over - my working Days are done. My advice - never spend a day sucking it for a job. Times have changed and if you can't find a gig you are passionate about just keep looking. It's a whole new world now and *everyone* is begging for hard working passionate people. Don't suck cock for a paycheck. You deserve more. Expect change and loss - find what you love and are good at/enjoy and bang that until it bleeds. Life is Way too short to do anything else. Do what you love and find a Way - if yer not passionate and driven you'll die inside a little every day.

It's taken me 8 months in retirement to realize I never should have taken jobs I hated no matter how much they paid. I only hurt myself.

VooDoo

I loved the brand of cars I used to work on but grew to fucking hate working flat rate. So I followed a few good friends to a city job working on the light rail trains in Denver. It can be interesting but I’m growing to dislike this job now too

The D said:

I loved the brand of cars I used to work on but grew to fucking hate working flat rate. So I followed a few good friends to a city job working on the light rail trains in Denver. It can be interesting but I’m growing to dislike this job now too

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Familiarity breeds contempt.

I was raised "Old School"... I have worked for other's, worked Union, worked non-union and ran my own business... At the end of the day or the shift, I got satisfaction when looking around at that I accomplished. Went out with a bad heart 12 years ago. My work ethic did not change. I still get up early here on my homestead and when I step out the door there is always a project that needs tending to. Today I made 5 trips to get some free firewood logs. No help, just me and my lonesome. At the end of the day I am tired but satisfied with what I accomplished. Most of my days are spent alone on my homestead. The craftsmanship has never changed... What has changed is the people. My day in photos.

I love every job that pays me money.

My definition of live to work is the company mandating you to work overtime, weekends, cutting lunch to a half hour, etc. That shit can fuck off. I work to live. I put in more than 40hrs a week because sometimes I want to, it's not mandatory. Fuck working weekends and holidays, and give me my 1 hour lunch. A half hour isn't enough time to eat and relax. Also, don't tell me when I can and can't take my vacation.

My weekends are mine, and I recently changed jobs as a result of everything I said above, and they were unwilling to pay me what I was worth.

If people want to work weekends and holidays or have careers that require they do is a choice. I choose not to be a slave to my job. Do I enjoy the work I do? It's about half and half, and I'm good at what I do. I've accepted my career.

If I won the lottery or PCH I'd pack my shit as soon as the checks started coming in and retire. I'd stay active with my hobbies and interests. Maybe find a part time job if I got bored.

I have often asked people, "If you could have the perfect job, (not like beach bum, a real job) what would it be?

95 out of a hundred said something else than what they were currently doing. This puzzled me. But I thought about it.

I think many people figure out what they wanna do by their late teenage years. But things being what they are, they have to take the first thing that comes along just to live & pay the bills... Then, by the time they're 40, they have so much time, etc invested in it, have a house & a housefull of furniture & kids, car payments, etc and can't afford to quit or actually DO what they always wanted to do. But not all people.

My dad's sister got divorced at age 40 and went back to school for RN and spent the later years as a baby nurse. She was an inspiration to me in that regard.

So... It seems few people get started out right in their chosen/dream careers and the years get along. When I hit my mid-life crisis at age 44, I went back in the guard and went to the wars. I figgered I couldn't afford a trophy wife, so I bought 3 motorcycles, 2 airplanes, and some guns stuff... At age 63, I figger a woman in my life would just tell me what to do/what not to do. I got it set up (finally) just how I like it. Why ruin it?

But seriously... I feel very fortunate to have experienced the things in life I wanted to, and to have the jobs I wanted to do at the time. I remember thinking, "the Army gave me this beautiful $6 million helicopter to take care of, I could hardly believe it! Then, years later, when I was doing sculpture/steelwork for Bass Pro I would wake up in the morning and COULD NOT WAIT to get to work, I was so engaged with it. Didn't make much money until I went back to the wars as a contractor, and that really made my retirement. I'm shittin in tall cotton, now.

I am co owner of my business, and likely will never work for anyone else again if I can help it. I have always been a "task oriented" person. I get obsessed with accomplishing a goal or a task and work until it happens. For whatever reason, I have always been this way. I have never understood the whole "I got my 40 in" mentality, even when I worked for someone else. My work can suck for sure, but I take pride in the fact that if I work hard and accomplish goals it betters my life and my families as well.

People have to make a living, finding your dream job ain't that easy. Then theres no guarantee that after finding your dream job, you’re still going to love it in 20 years.

Well, I know I won't have any problems being remembered! You assholes couldn't forget about me even if you're lives depended on it! But seriously, I was about 15 when I stopped worrying about being cool or what others thought about me. Fast forward to when I became 19 and became a Libertarian and very much stopped caring what people think about me. Go ahead, I dare you all to try and hurt my feelings or make me feel shameful!

Hard question and for many reasons:

Things are a point in time. I've been at my gig for going on 38 years. Absolutely loved it for probably 90% of the time other than a F'ing A hole boss here and there, loved the business all these years. However, with all the supply chain BS from China and not having any idea when we can get product and having to apologize every F'ing day because we don't have it or when we are going to get it, I'm done.

Hopefully can be done in 3-4 years because it's not fun anymore.

Ultralight airplanes. Started off with a Quicksilver MXL and moved on to an Air-Bike.

I have about as close to a dream job as someone can have. I love it. When I'm not there I can't wait to get back. I'm very skilled in my field and constantly improving.


That being said I work as little as possible. The number one regret that people have on their death bed is "not spending enough time with family". In the grand scheme of things what you do at work AT BEST only barely matters. Nobody is irreplaceable. Things will keep chugging along well after you leave provided you're not self-employed or something.

Family is #1 priority. Everything else is a distant second. I don't want to look back when I'm inevitably dying of cancer and wish I spent more time with the kids.

you don't have to like or love a job to do it , you just need to be hungry enough to want to eat .

I absolutely love what I do. I co manage a farm of 4000+ acres.
When it rains I sleep in. When it snows I sleep in. When it’s 105 out I show up at 4 and home by noon. I worked the 8-5 shit. Never again. I come and go as I please. Work when I want most of time. Busy time (planting and harvest) I put in 16 hr days. Do I have a 200,000 salary? No but im not under payed.

TurboTrout said:

So much of this trendy “I work to live, I don’t live to work”

I’m like go suck start a 12G, I mean a majority of your life, what you will be remembered for are the fruits of your labors, not wanting to do said craft seems sad

Lots of these types of people if I mention that I LOVE my job and don’t see myself ever retiring regardless of money, like my retirement is death, they almost get offended

What gives? I mean was it that long ago men were proud of what they did?

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This is a complicated matter if you ask me. I can give so many examples for each angle. That said it all depends on the person and the situation.

A lot of people are told that they have to go to college. They HAVE to become X, or Y, or Z, but when they get there it's not nearly as awesome as they thought. Most people would not survive a month inside of corporate toxic America, hence the environment really sucks more often than it is good.

Then throw on top of that people get into car payments, buying a house that they really don't need, and they wind up with a shit sandwich.

On the other hand you have people like me that said screw all of that and went and did what I like.

Most people tell me they really love travel and all that, but as soon as I say "let's go" they back out because of that car payment, house, and shitty job with an asshole boss.

I recall one very poignant instance when I was flying back home after literally a two year long around the world vacation that covered I think 7 countries. The night before we were in a perfect tropical bay and someone in our group had about a $5m dollar sail boat parked right offshore from us. We had a party on the beach until late into the night. I got on the airplane with sand on my feet. In Dallas when I was changing planes I sat next to some guy that within the first 5 minutes he told me he had dinner with the CEO of his company like it was supposed to impress me. The truth be told if either he or his CEO were run over by a train they would have their desk cleaned out by morning.

On the flip side of that I know several people that really love their jobs for a variety of reasons. There is no real rhyme or reason as to why that is so.

At the end of the day though there is more than enough toxic corporate bullshit for 100 lifetimes floating around. On top of that, at least in the US there is a big tendency to get wrapped up in debt chasing that carrot.

It's a really complicated thing overall. A lot of people that otherwise would be proud of their work have to deal with shitty work environments, politics, and sub par bosses so in general it demoralizes a lot of people.

In addition to that there are millions of people that go to college to do one thing but wind up doing something completely not related at all.

If you are essentially forced to do something simply because it is an obtainable option, is that REALLY your craft?

TurboTrout said:

Oh that looks like a hoot!

Stall speed is like a brisk walk?

Always thought it would be fun to try pt103

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If you can walk briskly at 30mph... I guess so... Cruises at 60mph, do not exceed speed, 80mph. It is a hoot. The Quicksilver was a huge kite. The Air-Bike is a motorcycle with wings. 40hp Rotax 447 2-stroke is TONS of power!

I got the above for $5,000. The Quicksilver was $5,500. So... Less than a Harley, and WAY safer. Training is always a good idea. Good luck with it. See Barnstormers or Fly4Buy, or Trade-a-plane. Next one, I'm going to build in my shop. We're currently looking for a used/wrecked BMW 1200RT engine to adapt for UL use.

You should be advised, that taller people (over 6') may not fit in these small cockpits, and heavier people (over 220lbs may be too heavy.

DarnYankeeUSMC said:

I think that there's a shit ton of people that do factory work. Assembling widgets for 9 hours a day, five days a week, fifty two weeks a year for life would be a death sentence for me.
I like what I do and I am good at it. Being a skilled tradesman vs a factory slave is a big difference

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It's probably worth pointing out that factory work once required craftsmanship (one of my grandfathers built tank engines, the other was a carpenter that crafted custom crates used to ship restaurant equipment). Nowadays, it mainly involves avoiding light curtains (and positive drug tests!) while being reminded on a regular basis that you're not getting replaced by an expensive robot only because ownership want to cash out before the wheels fall off completely.

DarnYankeeUSMC said:

There's a question...
Would you still do your job if you hit the lottery? Like publishers clearing house that pays $10K per week for life.
I think I would still do what I do. I would when I was in town.

Click to expand...

I'd probably switch to teaching my craft. That'd be fulfilling.

I went to college and worked in my field for quite a while. I still do, but in an occupation that I did not go to school for. I really enjoyed the work, but the corporate america bullshit could suck the life out of porn. I really enjoy most of my job now- excepting the make work projects referenced above. That said, if someone dropped off a $1B (USD) check at the house tomorrow I would be retired before they got off the property. There is so much more to life than chasing a dollar. Kids have made time away from work soooo much more valuable than time at work. I don't expect someone without kids to understand that. And, as mentioned above, not everyone's life ambition is to be a stewardess on Epstein's private jet.

I was a workaholic. It was “success”, money, and gave me value. The corporation (not USMC) used me and threw me away. I tried a different tack, had some success, same result. If I had the $$ to support my family I would probably never work in my trade again. Fuck those rich cunts. I trade time for $$ because I am a responsible man. When that is over all bets are off. I have rarely worked for anyone who really valued my contribution.

Bigfatcock said:

I love every job that pays me money.

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So many jokes here. So many

lash said:

Familiarity breeds contempt.

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Current job; absolutely

Previous job; I hated the stress of an inconsistent work load. I was stressed because I didn’t have much work a few days of the week. Then I was stressed that I had 6 cars with a giant list of repairs that need to be done asap

And answering @DarnYankeeUSMC. Yes, I would find some way to work on the cars I love so much. Whether it’s opening my own place or just tinkering in a huge home shop.

I love what I do but hate working for shit management. It pisses me off when people tell me how long it should take to do something when they can't even begin to do what I do. They don't even understand the tools needed to do the job, let alone efficiently. I could drop 100k on shop tools needed for almost every place I've worked and it would pay for itself in less than 6 months if you figure what it costs to outsource the work and include the cost of downtime.

I worked at the corporate level of a fortune 50 company for 31 years. I enjoyed my job and was really good at it. Earned a lot of respect and was a technical subject matter expert. The last ten years it seemed like the executives had a contest for the dumbest ideas... That started to wear me down. I finally checked out at year 31 with full retirement at age 57. I could never work again.... My bullshit meter is too sensitive.

20 years Navy Electronics Technician, 17 contractor and GS with another 12 to go. Doing almost the same job on newer ships only with a beard now and no watches to stand. Odds are if you have a kid who's a communications ET in Norfolk I've worked with them to give training or an on board assist.

I used to say that I hated to admit that I loved my job. I was working a blues festival and was told that I didn't hate admitting that, I loved to rub it in that I love my job.

@DarnYankeeUSMC even if I hit the lottery, I'd probably still be a part time contractor. You can't spend everyday on the range, then it would become work.

I spend my days at the golf course or at baseball games, steakhouses and bars. No badge company truck, gas card and Amex. I don’t think my retirement will be as nice as my job.

DarnYankeeUSMC said:

There's a question...
Would you still do your job if you hit the lottery? Like publishers clearing house that pays $10K per week for life.
I think I would still do what I do. I would when I was in town.

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If I had that kind of money, I'd still turn wrenches. I'd love to be able to have my own business and with that kind of money, I'd try to help out some of the less fortunate people. Most people go through tough times and need a little help at some point in life.

Mudburner said:

I have often asked people, "If you could have the perfect job, (not like beach bum, a real job) what would it be?

95 out of a hundred said something else than what they were currently doing. This puzzled me. But I thought about it.
snip...

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I couldn't answer that question.

wade2big said:

I couldn't answer that question.

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Would "writer/youtuber" count as a real job?