Hello, so I work full time in lawn care. I don't really like my work, but I'm willing to do it. Anyways, like a week ago I came across this essay about why work was shitty, and it really struck me. I came to the realization that I was spending 40 hours a week doing something I did not want to do. That I was doing something that was really of no use at all.
Why do people even care about their fuckin lawns. I'd actually prefer a different line of work, but it is pretty much impossible for me.
Idk, how can I believe again that my work is valuable ?
Please don't say
>follow yer dreems
You're retarded if you actually believe that bs
>I'd actually prefer a different line of work, but it is pretty much impossible for me.
Cool, I'm looking forward to 50 excuses about why it's impossible.
>>17344042
Don't be an ass. it requires a Masters degree and I'm unable to get a loan because of shitty credit
>>17344027
It's not so much follow your dreams as follow your internal compass. Some people have a different set of values through which they see the world, and then for some those values matter, and for some they don't even matter that much.
Look at the sort of lifestyle you want and start from there. You can then decide to go back to training to something that would embody your values more. For example, say that you want to feel really useful and not have a bullshit job, you shouldn't aim for something that's behind a desk / office job most likely, those are the jobs that you most easily feel are just pushing paper bullshit. For example nursing is better for that value set.
If you want a quiet life, undisturbed getting a sys admin position might work, and the people you see will need you to troubleshoot something, which feels more important in the short run but maybe not in the larger.
If for example you value security and stability a lot in your life, or having any sort of employment is something important to you in and of itself, then try to see how you can adapt your job. Maybe you need to be in charge of more than just mowing lawns, maybe dropping a number of hours would do the trick etc.
Regardless of what people tell you is good, if you don't figure out what matters truly to you, you won't make it. That's not "follow your dream", that's identifying which occupation of your time won't make you wake up at 40 years of age scared that you wasted most of it doing something moronic.
>>17344045
Thanks, that is good advice. Do you know any jobs that require not too much education, and I will really feel like my work is valuable?
>>17344064
Look for things where you have a direct contact with people and provide a service that is in demand, but don't try to sell stuff.
Ambulance drivers can be something like that, but it's a tough job to do psychologically. Not all rides are valuable but sometimes people's life depend on you. Getting into building things, or building painter etc leaves you with a sense of achievement more than another excell file on a computer.
I might have said police a couple years ago but not with the mood that's there now. If you're into lawn shit, how would community gardening and taking care of the parks and such work for you?
You're alienated from your labor. You perform a task for someone else's desire (the customer) and someone else's profit (your employer). Some take to a particular sort of work like a fish to water, but it seems this isn't the case in your situation. I think lawns are bullshit, btw. I can see the use of having a lawn in the back to do things with (you know, stuff like letting pets and kids roam, having cook outs and so on) but the front lawn is just a chemical laden ornament that does nothing for anyone. Make it a garden or something if you don't live in some bullshit Nazi place with a HOA.
>I'd prefer a different line of work
It's not totally impossible, but it's definitely really difficult to achieve and you might end up hating your new job as well.
>You're retarded if you actually believe that bs
Okay.
Keep working, try and find something that pays a bit better, even if its harder. Save up your money, buy a cheap plot of land in the country and build/put a trailer on it or find a cheap foreclosed place. Get off the grid (solar panels, water catchment and filtration etc). Once you have this you can worry about what you really want to do. Maybe it's possible to find something that pays a wage that you won't completely hate. Don't give up your dreams completely and let consumer society crush your spirit. This is exactly what your masters want you to do.
Pretty sure you could get other work. Construction laborer is probably within reach and then you'd actually build something.
>>17344177
This sounds vaguely communist, idk if I should believe you
>>17344198
It is actually surprisingly difficult to get into the construction union here
>>17344027
your work is as valuable as your payment.
probably doesn't help much. but work is always shit. even the most awesome jobs are still jobs. it's not fun, that's why others are willing to pay money for it
>>17344221
>muh communism
Take what I say on it's merits and go from there. Gommunism boogiemen are bullshit.
>>17344221
There is not construction work that isn't in a craft? That's pretty cool. I work at the post office, if you have not been fired and don't have a criminal record that may be an option. In some cities Amazon is hiring delivery drivers but it looks to be a worse job than lawns to me. People want those packages though.
>>17344250
Sorry, but I'm pretty sure the guy who wrote the essay was a commie and reading that essay resulted in me feeling the way I do
>>17344235
>your work is as valuable as your payment.
This doesn't seem true at all. Plenty of people get paid a lot to do shit that is useless.
>>17344290
It sounds like you're using the communism boogieman to hide from the ugly truth. If someone with a different view says something correct, is it made incorrect by the fact they have a different perspective from yours?
>This doesn't seem true at all. Plenty of people get paid a lot to do shit that is useless.
Welcome to capitalism.
>>17344290
They said the pay is the point.
>>17344290
>I read an essay by a communist that changed how I view my life
>You sound like a communist so why should I believe you
Wewty and the ladfish
>>17344310
I don't know what to say. I was hoping someone would convince me to believe what I used to. But that's the thing, I'm uneducated, which means I don't know whether it is right or wrong and it seems dumb to take a strong stance on something most people don't believe when you're undeducated.
The essay was called "the aboliton of work" btw
>>17344332
wait til you hit summa dat trudank
http://strikemag.org/bullshit-jobs/
>Once, when contemplating the apparently endless growth of administrative responsibilities in British academic departments, I came up with one possible vision of hell. Hell is a collection of individuals who are spending the bulk of their time working on a task they don’t like and are not especially good at. Say they were hired because they were excellent cabinet-makers, and then discover they are expected to spend a great deal of their time frying fish. Neither does the task really need to be done – at least, there’s only a very limited number of fish that need to be fried. Yet somehow, they all become so obsessed with resentment at the thought that some of their co-workers might be spending more time making cabinets, and not doing their fair share of the fish-frying responsibilities, that before long there’s endless piles of useless badly cooked fish piling up all over the workshop and it’s all that anyone really does.
>>17344332
Read books, watch documentaries, talk to people, figure it out for yourself. Don't take any ideological view, left or right, as gospel. You don't have to be a Harvard sycophant to understand the world. You've jacked out of the Matrix and cast into the desert of the real. The sunshine burns your eyes the first time you leave the cave. Welcome.
>>17344027
could you save half your pay for a year and start you'r own business or some shit . if I can do it anybody can .
watch a shit ton of youtube videos of different skills and try to find something you would like to try . try it in you'r spare time to see if you like it
others said construction . i've done that and its o.k but after a while you would probably feel the same about it as you feel about your current job .
a wise man said to me " find something you don't mind doing , then find someone to pay you for it " . its pretty true . I enjoy my work as a odd job person and market trader because I have a big variety which suits my shit attention span . may not be raking in the money but I have enough , and a bit to splurge . definately prefer that to when I was working full time even if I made twice as much as I do now
at least you get to work outside . would you rather be flipping patties at the crab shack
>>17344339
That article angered me. Holy shit
>It’s as if someone were out there making up pointless jobs just for the sake of keeping us all working
Just fuck humanity up senpai
>>17344361
>That article angered me. Holy shit
That's good. You should be angry since it's your life being wasted.
>>17344027
>shitty credit
Who's fault is that, hmm?
>>17344027
If you can't work, don't expect anyone to work for you, don't be a welfare leech.
>>17344346
>muh business
Just letting you know that most businesses fail and that isn't a solution for everyone. Every business needs workers and consumers. At least you're advocating the OP saves up money to start such a thing instead of taking out loans like an idiot.
>>17344402
>If you can't work, don't expect anyone to work for you, don't be a welfare leech.
That's right, prole, you were put on this planet to work and you better not stop for any reason. Justify your existence, peasant!
>>17344402
>If you can't work, don't expect anyone to work for you, don't be a welfare leech
the question was:
>how can I believe again that my work is valuable ?
I'm not a lazy person, and even the hardest working person hates bullshit work
>>17344044
bulloney
just fucking work. Find a job, have a good attitude, work hard at it and get good results and you are doing better than 85% of the workforce.
I have worked in a ton of fields, including landscaping/lawn care. I have done well at all of them, except selling advertising. It just wasnt something I could do.
I have undergrad in history and now supervise a staff of 7 all but one of whom have a masters or better.
Why, because I get the job done. While they whine about "work/life balance" and nickel and dime for every per diem penny, I just get the job done and they get passed over for raises and promotions and complain that I am a dick...
Yep, A dick that gets paid 2x what they do and gets extra vacation days awarded almost monthly and gets to assign them their work.
Not saying its easy, but i guarantee you that 90% of the people out there saying "muh boss sucks" are shitty workers.
Anyhow, if you are good at lawn care, start your own company, here is how I did it:
1) started coaching soccer in a rich neighborhood.
2) started working at the local country club, the most expensive one in city
3) same parents of soccer kids played golf or pooled or whatever at CC
4) "hey I saw you doing the landscaping at the CC, coachanon. Can you help me with my yard?"
5) underbid by 10%, put in some extra touches, show up when I say I will, communicate well and always smiling
6) "I saw you fixed up my neighbors yard, lawnguyanon, can you check mine out.
7) Be there with a shitty torn up lawn when they go to work, have perfect lawn when they return
8) hire guys at $12/hr to help, charge $20
9) quit actually working and start supervising, always smiling and doing more than expected.
10) sold business for $125,000 after 3 years
>>17344463
That gives me hope. Where did you get the money to actually start the business though?
>>17344463
That's it, good worker--work hard and get rewarded! It's the American way, after all...
>>17344481
I started by using an old Chrysler new yorker and hand tools. Got plans and mulch and stuff delivered. That cut into my profit, but i just saved until I could buy a $1000 piece of shit truck.
I had no $$$ and the car and a lawn mower to start
bought tools at yard sales until I could get decent ones
>>17344493
All right, I'm going to save up for that. Do you rec any books or guides for running a business?
>>17344402
>Who's fault is that, hmm?
In great part the OP, but also a system that encourages people to consume like locusts on borrowed money. One is practically expected to live beyond one's means nowadays.
Now that I look back, I can't find where OP said he had bad credit.
Furthermore, OP never said he couldn't work. He simply said he hated his job.
Nice apologism, though. Go home, Prager U.
>>17344414
>I'm not a lazy person, and even the hardest working person hates bullshit work
Exactly. Supporters of the system want you to believe you're immoral for disliking an awful job.
>>17344463
The key is to be a good communicator and do what you say you are going to do. Most tradesmen show up late or not at all.
Anyhow, here is another lesson...
In this kind of work, especially for rich people, they dont really care how long something takes or what your costs are. They pay you to have the place look good when they get home. If it looks better than the neighbors, they will pay $$$$
Don't forget to cup their balls while you're at it, OP, rich people love that. You need to smile and thank them for the privilege of having them come on your face, too, if you really want that tip.
>>17344463
This sounds legit
>>17344500
idk...
My advice is to keep good records and dont try to ceat the govt out of their share. Rich people esp keep really good records and are likely reporting their payments to you.
Also, dont hire anyone until you have to. Better for you to take 2 days on a project and get all the profits than have to pay someone else and get it done in 1.
payroll and staff mgmnt is a huge pain in the ass.
>>17344524
>>17344508
Thanks, I'm taking notes. I wish there was someone like you in my life. Everyone I know just tells me to suck it up because that's just how it is.
>>17344500
And when you fail you'll blame yourself for not working hard enough.
Stop believing propaganda.
>>17344531
I sure hope you don't do this.
>>17344463
>if someone walks into a store and takes something without paying full price for it, it's called stealing
>if you make workers sell their labor to you and below it's actual price it's just competition :^)
(thechanthatmaynotbenamed).net/leftypol/res/778510.html
leftypol in the thread grabbing a crab by the legs
>>17344531
Here >>17344332 you said you were hoping someone would convince you to believe what you used to, which I guess he did. Don't believe shit just because you think you have to. Read stuff and form your own opinions. Become a better person, not a better slave.
>>17344555
That's why I'll start my own business! Then I don't need to be a slave anymore!
Do you want me to keep slaving? I don't get it
>>17344561
The problem is you're still a slave because you have to either sell your labor or starve. Just because you don't have a boss hovering over you telling you to mow those lawns doesn't mean you're magically emancipated, especially if you follow that "underbidding" advice because now you're not just a slave, but an underpaid slave.
>>17344561
You have a small chance of liberating yourself in this way. Even then you'll be enslaving others. I thought you hated landscaping work. Why would the off chance of being successfully self-employed make you like what you do?
Honestly it sounds to me like you're abandoning a brutal truth for a comforting lie. Either way, I wish you luck; You're gonna need it.
>>17344571
>when you need to do things to have things, you're a slave to having to do things
I hate how ideology has inflated the terminology of catasthrophy.
>>17344571
All right, sure, whatever. But that view doesn't mean I shouldn't try and better my income
>>17344575
>Why would the off chance of being successfully self-employed make you like what you do?
No no no. I'd still hate it, but if 10 years from I could work like 5hours a week and spend the rest of my time doing what I want I'd be quite happy. I don't really disagree with you commiefriend, but you aren't offering any practical solutions
>>17344589
It's wage slavery. It's not a new term, and slavery is exactly what it is.
>>17344600
You're right, it doesn't mean you shouldn't better your income.
But if you think buying a junky lawn mower and pick up truck is your ticket to the sweet life then you're living in a fantasy world.
>>17344589
Nice strawman.
>>17344600
>No no no. I'd still hate it, but if 10 years from I could work like 5hours a week and spend the rest of my time doing what I want I'd be quite happy.
That's a pipedream, frankly. And I'm saying that assuming you're successful. If you can make it (I hope you do, I'm not hoping you fail out of spite or ideology) you'll be working very long weeks for a long time before you see any big benefits. So if your gamble pays off you'll be working even harder and have more risks involved.
>I don't really disagree with you commiefriend, but you aren't offering any practical solutions
I'm not a communist. I'm not against markets, but I'd rather people do things like this out of passion rather than at the threat of poverty. Anyway, I outlined a solution in >>17344177 If you do decide to try a landscaping business, at the very least you should free yourself from the need of a weekly paycheck. Even if you take the risky and difficult entrepreneur route, at least remove the risk of total destitution by freeing yourself from rent and bills as much as possible. If your venture fails (I'm sorry, but the statistics aren't in your favor) you'll still have your own place to live. Either way, I hope you keep expanding your knowledge of subjects like politics and economics. I'd suggest you read Marx, but definitely read Adam Smith. His work is pretty valuable and actually contradicts the ideology of Ayn Rand worshipers. Good luck and take care.
>>17344625
>It's wage slavery. It's not a new term, and slavery is exactly what it is.
Like you're a breathing slave.. you get my point, address that instead.
>>17344638
If you define slavery as necessity, it's an accurate summary, stripped of dramatic tones so it can be put into perspective.
>>17344688
>slavery equals necessity
There's a difference between physical necessity and socially created necessity.
Selling your labor or working for a master is socially created. People decided on it.
Breathing and eating are physical necessities; You have to do these things regardless of how things are run.
