A nice little surprise

[R3XXY]

Hi Paul_B, I am due to start my new job in late january, after the the CRB check has been completed and I've done a bit of training.
I'll be a support worker at a brand new old folks home, it doesn't even open till December the 1st, it's still under construction.

I think I've really landed on my feet because it seems like the way they work, the general philosophy of the company and the attitudes of the staff are right on my wavelength. I wanted to have a job that was something I'd want to do for free, where getting paid is a side effect, I've never been able to stomach doing something as a means to a wage.

I have to say that I disagree with some (not all) of what Martyn said in his rebuttal of Tengu's comment, which I'm sure was only meant as a joke and not meant to offend anyone.
There are numerous jobs which arguably don't make any valuable contribution to the good of society e.g. Any cold call telesales rep, Wheel clamper, Stock trader, needless bureaucrats in needless QUANGOs and local councils, employment agents/agencies, telephone debt collection nazis, political spin doctor, the majority of politicians, etc.

The idea that having a job and/or paying tax constitutes a valuable contribution to society is just a paradigm, it's not having a job that's important it's what your job is that counts, I couldn't have any self respect or dignity doing any of the above.

Thank you all for your kind comments, and good luck in finding work.

Peace.

Tom

 

[Martyn]

I have to say that I disagree with some (not all) of what Martyn said in his rebuttal of Tengu's comment, which I'm sure was only meant as a joke and not meant to offend anyone.
There are numerous jobs which arguably don't make any valuable contribution to the good of society e.g. Any cold call telesales rep, Wheel clamper, Stock trader, needless bureaucrats in needless QUANGOs and local councils, employment agents/agencies, telephone debt collection nazis, political spin doctor, the majority of politicians, etc.

The idea that having a job and/or paying tax constitutes a valuable contribution to society is just a paradigm, it's not having a job that's important it's what your job is that counts, I couldn't have any self respect or dignity doing any of the above.

It depends on who you talk to Tom. For you, what you do might be the most important thing, but that is a very self-orientated way of thinking. To everyone else, it doesnt matter what you do, they dont care about your personal sense of fulfilment, they just care that you are no longer living off them.

To use a simple analogy, it's like a group of people round a campfire. Everyone needs to collect wood and make the food. If someone breaks an arm, then they get to sit by the fire and get fed without working, but if you are warming yourself by the fire and eating food others are making, for a long time, while you ponder what type of camp chores will best suit your personal sense of well-being, pretty soon the rest of your buddies are going to get hacked off and tell you to either do something to contribute ...anything, or go find somewhere else to camp.

Just because society is huge and anonymous, doesnt change the nature of your relationship to it. You are either self-reliant and a net contributor, a positive asset, or you are living off the work and efforts of other people.

It doesnt matter what job you do, so long as you do something. Being self-reliant and paying tax is all that the community care about. Because that means the community is not carrying you, it means you are no longer dead-weight and it means you are paying for the health service, the army, the police force ....and paying to support those people who cant find work. If you can manage to get the job you want, good for you, but that is a consideration for you alone and is unimportant to the rest of the community that you are part of.

Sorry to rant, but after 30 years of paying tax, which amounts to well over a hundred and fifty thousand pounds of my earnings, who it gets spent on and how it's justified is something I feel very passionate about. Personally, after 12 months of unemployment benefit, for the fit and healthy, I'd be in favour of a "work for your dole" system, or alternatively a cash free system of food stamps, government issue clothing and energy tokens.

Congrats on the job again.

 

[R3XXY]

I could counter your rant Martyn, but then you'd have a counter counter, then I'd have to come back with a counter counter counter, then you'd come back with...


You get the picture.


Could be a very interesting discussion though, but I'll put my ego to one side and keep this so far very good natured thread on topic.

So has anyone else got any twinkling trinkets that they plan to acquire when funds allow, or any bits they've asked Santa to bring ?

 

[Martyn]

I could counter your rant Martyn, but then you'd have a counter counter, then I'd have to come back with a counter counter counter, then you'd come back with...


You get the picture.

Yes, you're right.

 

[nigel heffernan]

Nice to see this all ending well the season of good will and all that lol, the collins gem books are fab i have a few of them myself.Hopefully santy will bring me a few more books for crimbo.

 

[Tengu]

That sounds great R3xxy, its useful and much needed work, and you sound like your looking forwards to it.

I have spent twenty years in trying to find a job; Never been able to get more than a menial part time position. So you see Im a bit grumpy about the whole process.

Im in education now, and hope to go to Uni

Then, no doubt, Ill be overqualified