5 ms·

I don't know. I'd love to have a basic level of income and then be able to dither around with random jobs. I'd love to be a bartender for 6 months, work in a bo

I don't know. I'd love to have a basic level of income and then be able to dither around with random jobs. I'd love to be a bartender for 6 months, work in a bookstore for 6 months, become a carpenter for a year or two. I'd probably feel differently if I actually had a trust fund since my upbringing would be different but it does feel stifling that in order to have a financially rewarding career one has to stay on a relatively narrow path. And I say this as someone who has made a major career change during their life.

psychiatrist24 6y ago
I regret that I never worked as a waiter in a cafe, and now it looks as if I can't afford it anymore. Or if I could afford it, I would be taking away the job from people who have a more urgent need for it than me.
- hindsightbias 6y ago
  There should be a class of jobs for retirees just working for health care and socialization.
  - _carbyau_ 6y ago
    So much this. Everyone gets old. How can we not want a society that would take care of them, including some form of worthwhile employment? It is an inherently selfish setup as one day you too will be old. Edit: trying to clarify my thoughts/point.
    - psychiatrist24 6y ago
      But what kind of thing do you have in mind? Afaik actually taking care of old people is backbreaking work, probably not suitable for most retirees.
      - _carbyau_ 6y ago
        Well, that's the trick. I mean there are obviously a lot of details and varying conditions and possibilities. But that doesn't mean they are all useless and should be in an old folks home. To more directly answer your question. Old people don't have to take care of even older people. I mean the whole point is to NOT cut them off from the rest of society. It needs a social component and simplicity. However, simpler tasks are often more easily automated and people generally avoid social interaction it seems. I get the feeling that people would rather a hot coffee vending machine than talking to ol' Carol or Bob at the mom & pop cafe. Some random ideas: - Working the coffee shop on the ground floor of the corporate building. - corporate internal mail - storytime Reader at the local library - non-profit business pushbike/skateboard/scooter store - campus bus service
    - hindsightbias 6y ago
      NHK US is filled with shows of retirees still doing their old jobs as hobbies. Several episodes involve repairing and running trains/tracks/stations on weekends for tourists.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
  - Taylor_OD 6y ago
    Yeah this does exist/happen to some extent. My partners father retired young (40's) and spent a bunch of years kicking around doing odd little jobs. The issue for many employers is that people in these situations don't really NEED the jobs so they are less likely to stick around late or put up with any bullshit which many jobs contain plenty of. This is just antidotal evidence of seeing my partners dad say yeah fuck that job after 6 months.
ed25519FUUU 6y ago
You can do that now. Why not? Bartenders make okay money, and you wouldn’t have to compete with like-minded people like if there was BI.
- draw_down 6y ago
  Health insurance
schnevets 6y ago
I frequently have similar fantasies and have to consciously remind myself that I can get the same happiness in my current role. When I think of opening a bar/restaurant, I'm actually just hoping for more quality time with friends. When I think of opening a bookstore, I'm actually just hoping for more time to focus on reading. When I think of becoming a cook, I'm actually just hoping for more passion and drive in the thing I make professionally.
- the_only_law 6y ago
  I have the similar fantasies but then remember I would already be doing things like this if half the jobs I wanted to “try” weren’t credentialized.
- allenu 6y ago
  That's a good way of looking at it. This discussion point reminds me of a Sir Ken Robinson talk (not sure which one, but he has many). After a friend's musical performance on stage, he comments to his friend that he'd love to do what he's doing, being on stage, playing guitar. His friend quickly remarks that no, he actually wouldn't. If he really wanted to be a musician, he would've done it by now. He would've put in the work and toil to get there. Instead, he just likes the idea of being able to perform at a high level in front of other people. I think so many of our fantasies are like that. We think of the end result and want that, but don't think about all the work needed to get there and whether we're up for that.
  - Taylor_OD 6y ago
    Yeah I agree to a certain extent. But I wouldnt LOVE to be a bartender. I think it would be interesting to try it for 6 months. Actually I'm quite certain at the end of the 6th months I'd be perfectly happy to never work behind a bar again. I might even dread the job by the 3rd month. But it would be interesting to try. I was a life guard in college. I am probably the worst lifeguard of all time but it was fun for a summer. Same with being a basketball referee. I don't really know the rules well enough to officiate a game. But it was a fun job for a year. It's things like that which I was able to afford to do in college or early adulthood that seem like they are not possible now. Not without significant financial sacrifice and a large detour of a career in motion.

psychiatrist24 6y ago

I regret that I never worked as a waiter in a cafe, and now it looks as if I can't afford it anymore. Or if I could afford it, I would be taking away the job from people who have a more urgent need for it than me.

hindsightbias 6y ago
There should be a class of jobs for retirees just working for health care and socialization.
- _carbyau_ 6y ago
  So much this. Everyone gets old. How can we not want a society that would take care of them, including some form of worthwhile employment? It is an inherently selfish setup as one day you too will be old. Edit: trying to clarify my thoughts/point.
  - psychiatrist24 6y ago
    But what kind of thing do you have in mind? Afaik actually taking care of old people is backbreaking work, probably not suitable for most retirees.
    - _carbyau_ 6y ago
      Well, that's the trick. I mean there are obviously a lot of details and varying conditions and possibilities. But that doesn't mean they are all useless and should be in an old folks home. To more directly answer your question. Old people don't have to take care of even older people. I mean the whole point is to NOT cut them off from the rest of society. It needs a social component and simplicity. However, simpler tasks are often more easily automated and people generally avoid social interaction it seems. I get the feeling that people would rather a hot coffee vending machine than talking to ol' Carol or Bob at the mom & pop cafe. Some random ideas: - Working the coffee shop on the ground floor of the corporate building. - corporate internal mail - storytime Reader at the local library - non-profit business pushbike/skateboard/scooter store - campus bus service
  - hindsightbias 6y ago
    NHK US is filled with shows of retirees still doing their old jobs as hobbies. Several episodes involve repairing and running trains/tracks/stations on weekends for tourists.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- Taylor_OD 6y ago
  Yeah this does exist/happen to some extent. My partners father retired young (40's) and spent a bunch of years kicking around doing odd little jobs. The issue for many employers is that people in these situations don't really NEED the jobs so they are less likely to stick around late or put up with any bullshit which many jobs contain plenty of. This is just antidotal evidence of seeing my partners dad say yeah fuck that job after 6 months.

ed25519FUUU 6y ago

You can do that now. Why not? Bartenders make okay money, and you wouldn’t have to compete with like-minded people like if there was BI.

draw_down 6y ago
Health insurance

schnevets 6y ago

I frequently have similar fantasies and have to consciously remind myself that I can get the same happiness in my current role. When I think of opening a bar/restaurant, I'm actually just hoping for more quality time with friends. When I think of opening a bookstore, I'm actually just hoping for more time to focus on reading. When I think of becoming a cook, I'm actually just hoping for more passion and drive in the thing I make professionally.

the_only_law 6y ago
I have the similar fantasies but then remember I would already be doing things like this if half the jobs I wanted to “try” weren’t credentialized.
allenu 6y ago
That's a good way of looking at it. This discussion point reminds me of a Sir Ken Robinson talk (not sure which one, but he has many). After a friend's musical performance on stage, he comments to his friend that he'd love to do what he's doing, being on stage, playing guitar. His friend quickly remarks that no, he actually wouldn't. If he really wanted to be a musician, he would've done it by now. He would've put in the work and toil to get there. Instead, he just likes the idea of being able to perform at a high level in front of other people. I think so many of our fantasies are like that. We think of the end result and want that, but don't think about all the work needed to get there and whether we're up for that.
- Taylor_OD 6y ago
  Yeah I agree to a certain extent. But I wouldnt LOVE to be a bartender. I think it would be interesting to try it for 6 months. Actually I'm quite certain at the end of the 6th months I'd be perfectly happy to never work behind a bar again. I might even dread the job by the 3rd month. But it would be interesting to try. I was a life guard in college. I am probably the worst lifeguard of all time but it was fun for a summer. Same with being a basketball referee. I don't really know the rules well enough to officiate a game. But it was a fun job for a year. It's things like that which I was able to afford to do in college or early adulthood that seem like they are not possible now. Not without significant financial sacrifice and a large detour of a career in motion.