Are you proud of what you do?

[danzibr]

Something hit me last night. I was at my son's pre-school graduation, and the teacher announced the students' names, school they're going to, and desired profession. Some kids wanted to do what their moms/dads did, others wanted to be something else, others still wanted to be superheroes and whatnot.

My son said he wanted to be a helicopter pilot, which is cool and all. I happen to be a teacher. In fact, my parents were teachers, and both of my wife's parents were teachers. As a graduate student I taught lower level college classes (from Intermediate Algebra up to Calc 3) for 6 years at a university, and the last 3 I also taught at a community college. Now I teach high school; in fact, today is the last day of my 2nd year. I like my job: I have good students (with whom I enjoy building relationships), pretty small classes (most ~10 students), and the work load isn't bad at all.

But what hit me is... I'm not proud of what I do. I mean, I'm certainly not ashamed of it, and I do indeed like it, but when someone asks me what I do, I'm not like, "I'm a teacher, f--- yeah!"

Anyway. Maybe most jobs are like this. Not proud, not ashamed, just do your job, pay the bills. Or maybe most jobs are miserable. I don't have *that* much work experience, maybe 10 jobs total, ever.

And you?

[Spanish_Paladin]

Nope. I am not a cop nor a writer :smallfrown:

[Winter_Wolf]

Hindsight allows me to say that I've never been proud of a job, but I've been proud of some things I've accomplished at a job, or grateful for learning a skill which I wouldn't otherwise have. Different things, but gotta take the good where you can. My pride in my work comes from the part where if I'm going to do something at all, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability, which often exceeds my enthusiasm (enthusism is generally a really low bar for almost all the jobs I've had).

I don't know any teachers who are all pumped that they're teaching. My family has several current and retired, my best friend is one, I've even taught (briefly). None have been proud of being a teacher, but they've been proud of the work they've accomplished with some of their students. Not sure whether that's the same/close enough.

[AdmiralCheez]

The two biggest portions of my day job are copy editing owner's manuals and conducting Quality Assurance audits, so no, I can't say I'm too excited and proud of generating criticism.

My side projects in film, writing, and photography, on the other hand, are where I take pride.

[2D8HP]

Despite my wife's insistence that I be more vague when people ask what "I do" as she finds it shameful (she is a college graduate from a middle class background), I am proud because of the utility of my work.
I repair plumbing fixtures in government buildings, sometimes the staff facilities (which I most enjoy, because I often hear "thank you"), sometimes in the public use areas, but most often in the jail. And I sometimes also get thanked by the guard or inmates.
No I don't enjoy the work itself (dirty, painful etc.), but I prefer it to what I last did, which was construction, where I never saw the end users, and I often questioned the purpose of what we were doing (such as tearing down a perfectly useful restroom, just to rebuild one a few feet away in order to build a bigger office for some spoiled executive). Before that I worked retail sales, which I detested because the owner wanted us to lie to the customers, plus hours having people man cash registers seems a waste of human labor (they could be building homes, or healing the sick instead of putting pieces of paper in and out of a box).
Make no mistake blue collar work is unpleasant and dangerous (I've known men crippled and one killed because of their jobs), but it is often less soul destroying than white collar work. I recommend the book "Shop Class as Soulcraft" by Matthew Crawford that explores the subject.
In terms of how proud, it makes me, in my experience blue collar government works makes me the most proud, but is the hardest to do, and white collar private industry work while much easier physically, and often thought of as "higher status", has made me feel the most ashamed.

[blunk]

I help middle-class people (rich by world standards) buy photo crap they don't need. No, I'm not proud of it.

Honestly, I think if it's not providing comfort to those who are most uncomfortable, it's probably not worth doing.


I repair plumbing fixtures ... most often in the jail.Even though it's far too easy for sit-on-my-butt workers like myself to say (I'm reminded of this (http://www.theonion.com/article/report-98-percent-of-us-commuters-favor-public-tra-1434)), this is what I'm talking about.


white collar private industry work ... has made me feel the most ashamed.You get it. Sorry much of society doesn't.

[Velaryon]

What I do doesn't change the world by any means, but I like my job (most of the time) and I do make a positive difference, however small, in the lives of the people I help at my two library jobs. And more importantly, I worked my ass off to get to where I'm at now. So yeah, I'm proud to do what I do, although I also know I'm not as far along as I want to be.

[Flickerdart]

I'm actively making the world a worse place to live for most of you (unless you happen to do a job that can't be done by robots). Whoops!

[Crow]

I'm proud of the company I built. I'm proud of jobs I've done in the past. My job right now though...

I am most certainly not proud of my blue collar job with mostly white collar duties that I do to pay down the bonded labor contract I call a mortgage, and the oppressive child support made neccessary by this job (also the reason I can't fully utilize what my business does for me); which due to unpredictable and excessive hours squashed any chance of me getting custody of my child. I am not proud to be enriching an industry that despite gross inefficiency and waste continues to make massive profit from their government-enforced monopoly. I am not proud to work for a company that is happy to talk about how "green" they are when reporters are around, but actively harm the environment when they're not.

I don't think it's a matter of white collar jobs crushing the spirit by themselves. It's the megalithic corporations creating those jobs that are crushing spirits.

[2D8HP]

I'm proud of the company I built. I'm proud of jobs I've done in the past. My job right now though...
-snip-
It's the megalithic corporations creating those jobs that are crushing spirits.
Interesting. When I worked for private industry, mostly in construction, many of the foremen had previously been self employed.
Also I noticed that when the shop was small and the owner was actively involved, it was usually a much better place to work at, instead of how it was to work for big companies. But the very worst places to work at were also small with active owners.
Has that been your experience?

[Lethologica]

I'm not proud of what I do, but that's more because I'm a terrible worker than because of the nature of my (white-collar) job.

[Jon_Dahl]

I'm happy with my life, I'd avoid the word "proud". My life could be a bit more exciting, but I have my duties to fulfill.

Edit: I decided to explain a bit more.
I used to work with IT. Complete waste of time from my perspective. Everything changes so fast that anything you do will be worthless or old-fashioned in a few years. It always felt like an endless battle against windmills. Now that I decided to quit working and began study, I feel happier with my life. The only problem with studying is that I suddenly have too much time on my hands. I feel frustrated that we spend so little time studying. I think it's extremely stupid, but apparently it's like that so that people can study and work at the same time. Nevertheless this 'job' that I have, being a student, doesn't make me that proud because we study too little.

[veti]

I'm proud of what I do.

What I do is manage a small team, within a company that sells electricity, whose job it is to make sure that our customers are billed correctly, and our suppliers can bill us correctly. It's not glamorous. But it is important.

Because without correct information, people will never be able to make the right decisions on how to use the limited supply of energy we all have to share. I'm proud of the fact that, every month, well over 90% of our customers are billed on what they actually consumed - not one dollar too much or too little. I'm proud of the fact that I, personally, submit accurate information to the market, every month, on the right day, to allow us to be billed correctly. (Which is way harder than you might think.) I'm proud of the fact that we offer competitive rates to some of the poorer demographics in my city. I'm proud of the fact that we've never had to disconnect anyone for debt.

"Climate change" isn't some monster, that a superhero can fell with a punch in the face. And it's not going to be stopped by some miraculous breakthrough. The only way we're ever going to save the planet is one light bulb at a time, every day - and I give people the information they need to fight that battle.

And I think more people should think of their jobs in this light. Our culture of "heroes" teaches us that "real, important changes are brought about by exceptional people doing amazing things", but that's just not true. Even when it does happen - which is rare - it takes tens of thousands of anonymous people, doing dull jobs like mine, day in and day out, to create the environment in which the "hero" can do what s/he does. But most of the time there is no hero, there's just - us, and we have to manage for ourselves.

The lesson of human history is that when we all do our jobs as best we can, when we can trust one another - we can accomplish more than Superman ever could. Even if he were real.

[Alent]

Not really, most of the time anyway.

I fix computers for people, which is not without its moments but generally leaves me feeling extremely disappointed in humanity. I would really like to have a job that has actual results I can point to and go "I built that" and not feel like I was just playing with someone else's legos all the time.

I have a moderate case of impostor syndrome, so feeling pride in stuff is kind of hard for me, anyway.

[TechnOkami]

Frankly? No, I'm not. I work in the retail industry, specifically as a meat/seafood clerk for my local grocery (Safeway).

Oh god oh god I want to get the nine hells away from it, and I'm working on that. I've very, very recently started streaming what I can on Twitch, and hopefully that goes somewhere. Regardless I've always enjoyed the idea of playing video games to an audience even when I was little, so you could say these are the steps to a childhood dream coming true.

Other than that, I'm looking into getting a new job, because f@ck Safeway.

I'm going to start working on a cover letter and tuning my resume to send off to my local game store (table top centered, not Gamestop), and see if that takes me anywhere. I hope it does.

[Grinner]

The lesson of human history is that when we all do our jobs as best we can, when we can trust one another - we can accomplish more than Superman ever could. Even if he were real.

I like the cut of this guy's jib.


I'm happy with my life, I'd avoid the word "proud". My life could be a bit more exciting, but I have my duties to fulfill.

Edit: I decided to explain a bit more.
I used to work with IT. Complete waste of time from my perspective. Everything changes so fast that anything you do will be worthless or old-fashioned in a few years. It always felt like an endless battle against windmills. Now that I decided to quit working and began study, I feel happier with my life. The only problem with studying is that I suddenly have too much time on my hands. I feel frustrated that we spend so little time studying. I think it's extremely stupid, but apparently it's like that so that people can study and work at the same time. Nevertheless this 'job' that I have, being a student, doesn't make me that proud because we study too little.

I'm in a similar position. You know what I do with the extra time? I study.

I spent weeks browsing the library between classes, found a subject I really like, and have been independently studying that for the past few years. And I have learned so much cool stuff. Will my studies bear fruit? I sure hope so, but even if I don't use that knowledge directly in future employment, I'm more versatile with it than without it.

[The Succubus]

I...have a complicated relationship with the work I do. And not a positive one.

[Jon_Dahl]

I'm in a similar position. You know what I do with the extra time? I study.

I spent weeks browsing the library between classes, found a subject I really like, and have been independently studying that for the past few years. And I have learned so much cool stuff. Will my studies bear fruit? I sure hope so, but even if I don't use that knowledge directly in future employment, I'm more versatile with it than without it.

I should follow your example. Thank you for giving it.

[themaque]

I'm proud of past military service. I wasn't thrilled with much of the actual work, and there was a lot of BS, But I am proud of what I did and who I worked with in the end.

I'm proud of the work I do at my job if not the entirety of the job itself. I'm proud to say I leave it a better place than I find it.

The job itself is a job. Blue Collar Chemical Industry. So I make sure I do it in a way I can be proud of. Company is pretty good. Not Perfect but not outright evil either. Just people trying to get by.

I've actively been trying to improve my standing to get a soul crushing office job. I can't do this when I'm 60. I've seen people try.

In the end I believe it's important to be proud of HOW you work even if it not what or who you do it for.


Frankly? No, I'm not. I work in the retail industry, specifically as a meat/seafood clerk for my local grocery (Safeway).

-snip-

Other than that, I'm looking into getting a new job, because f@ck Safeway.


My wife is a Seafood manager for H.E.B. and she's actually proud of what she does if not everyone she works with. A well run seafood department really seems to be the roughest part of the store.

Hopefully you can get somewhere better.

[Jerry]

I'm a night watch security guard for a private warehouse. It's not what I went to school for and it's sure as hell not what I saw myself doing after college, but I'm about to move out on my own for the first time and that is something I'm proud of.

[Fishybugs]

I'm an ER nurse. It's been some of the best and worst moments in my life. I've helped to resuscitate people who survive and live a fruitful life, and we've attempted resuscitation of people who would truly be better off just passing away. I've helped bring new life into the world and sat with someone while they exited from it. I've been kicked, spat and peed on, punched, and vomited on. Yeah, I'm proud of what I do. It's thankless. It's a physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining occupation, but I've loved every minute of it.

[qechua]

Am I proud? Mostly.

I'm proud of what we do (I can't say the actual name because legal reasons, but it's a major UK weather forecasting and climate research organisation :smallsmile:) because we inform decisions that save lives (of all races, genders, religions etc.) on a daily basis, as well as look into the short, medium and long term effects of climate change and how best to try to tackle the problem.

I'm proud of the individual work I do, because we're leading the way for the entire IT department with changing how build and organise systems to be much more maintainable and easier to manage.

I'm not proud of some peoples reaction to us, as if we're some kind of business set up entirely to lie and inconvenience everyone as often as possible (the fact that some of those people are "friends" is even worse), to the point that sometimes when people ask me what I do, I'll simply say "Civil Servant" and let people presume I'm a jobs-worth in a council.

I'm not proud of how the government treats us, and how as an organisation we're apparently willing to accept it, but that starts straying a little too close to politics, so I'm not going to expand/follow up on that one.


"Climate change" isn't some monster, that a superhero can fell with a punch in the face. And it's not going to be stopped by some miraculous breakthrough. The only way we're ever going to save the planet is one light bulb at a time, every day.

I genuinely considering having this made into a sign for the next time I'm given the "Climate change isn't my problem" speech.

[AMFV]

I always am, because the key isn't finding a job that you're proud to do. The key is finding reasons to be proud of your own work. If you aren't doing something that you think of as all that meaningful, then you can be proud of doing your work well, of helping your co-workers, that's where pride in employment should really come from.

[xyz]

{ scrubbed }

[AMFV]

{ scrubbed }

That you do that well. If you're just posting on web-forums, then what you have to be proud of, is contributing to the discussion, or crafting amusing posts. In every kind of craft there's a source for pride and value.

[xyz]

That you do that well. If you're just posting on web-forums, then what you have to be proud of, is contributing to the discussion, or crafting amusing posts. In every kind of craft there's a source for pride and value.

oh gosh stop youre makin me blush ;-;

[drack]

Despite my wife's insistence that I be more vague when people ask what "I do" as she finds it shameful (she is a college graduate from a middle class background), I am proud because of the utility of my work.
Hey man, if it's work that needs to be done, I certainly see no shame in it. I've criticized a few people in my day for suggesting there is. :smallsmile:

I'm actively making the world a worse place to live for most of you (unless you happen to do a job that can't be done by robots). Whoops!
Lolz. Ay mate, but by increasing productivity you're freeing up labor for other jobs thus meaning we need work less to enjoy the same standard of living, or work the same to enjoy a better one. Look at how the media industry has taken off. Look at how many scientists around the world are free to research new innovation.

Anywho, pride doesn't generally enter into the equation for me. If it's work that needs doing, it's worth my time and gets me by, so no problem. If it's not worth doing then I might question why the job exists, but clearly someone thinks it's worth doing right?

Still, once upon a time I worked in a factory produced poison for human consumption, and everyone I knew of drinking age told me it was a really cool job, or their dream job or the like. Likewise an acquaintance almost got a job researching space dust (and how it flows, lots of research into how granular substances flow) at NASA in the US, and we all thought that was pretty cool, and the person certainly looked to be swelling with pride. I suppose often we take more pride in our job when it snares the admiration of others. That or doing it well, though those may be different sorts of pride... :smalltongue:

[SaintRidley]

I get paid to work with language. I read and study medieval literature, medieval translation practices, and I translate from languages that don't often get translated into English. I'm extremely proud of what I do, because I absolutely love what I do.

[Giggling Ghast]

Yes and no. I like aspects of the work and some of the things I've accomplished, but I don't love the work, which is why I'll never be more than mediocre at it. It's a profession that demands passion. I'd leave if I knew what else to do.

[Vizzerdrix]

Nope, but not realy ashamed of it either. Over12 years working back room and doing overnight stocking for a very large retail store. Been there long enough that I can live off of part time so long as I dont want anything expensive. Is good enough for me, and not too bad for someone who barely graduated highschool.

[Crow]

Nope, but not realy ashamed of it either. Over12 years working back room and doing overnight stocking for a very large retail store. Been there long enough that I can live off of part time so long as I dont want anything expensive. Is good enough for me, and not too bad for someone who barely graduated highschool.

I appreciate well-stocked and organized shelves when I am forced to shop.

Thank you for your hard work.

[Corlindale]

I am proud of what I do. I spend most of my time teaching English as a second language at high school level and I am completely certain that this is a useful thing for young people to learn. The ability to understand complex problems and cultural differences is also a part of the curriculum, so I like to think I help them build life skills in different ways. In the ideal case, anyway.

It's also a fun job, for the most part (although it depends a lot on the particular class, as well). I like that I have a lot of creative freedom in how I teach. I especially like that I can incorporate virtually any kind of English-language media in my teaching, no matter the genre. Very often I stumble upon something and go "Hey, I could design a fun ESL exercise based on this song/article/game/etc!". The downside of this is that it can sometimes feel like I'm always at work.

Job prestige in society is a funny thing. This week I read an article that described a survey to rate people's perception of job prestige. Football players were near the top of the list, while road construction workers were near the bottom - but I'm sure the latter are way, way more important for keeping society running.

[danzibr]

I am proud of what I do. I spend most of my time teaching English as a second language at high school level and I am completely certain that this is a useful thing for young people to learn. The ability to understand complex problems and cultural differences is also a part of the curriculum, so I like to think I help them build life skills in different ways. In the ideal case, anyway.

It's also a fun job, for the most part (although it depends a lot on the particular class, as well). I like that I have a lot of creative freedom in how I teach. I especially like that I can incorporate virtually any kind of English-language media in my teaching, no matter the genre. Very often I stumble upon something and go "Hey, I could design a fun ESL exercise based on this song/article/game/etc!". The downside of this is that it can sometimes feel like I'm always at work.

Job prestige in society is a funny thing. This week I read an article that described a survey to rate people's perception of job prestige. Football players were near the top of the list, while road construction workers were near the bottom - but I'm sure the latter are way, way more important for keeping society running.
Teaching ESL sounds rewarding. Real skills the students will use.

As for the football v. road construction workers... I find that interesting. I actually think higher of the latter.

[Lethologica]

Prestige definitely goes to the football players, though. We might not think highly of their contribution to society, but a lot of people are willing to pay to watch them while being advertised at. Road construction is a battery job, football is a lightbulb job.

[Alent]

Prestige definitely goes to the football players, though. We might not think highly of their contribution to society, but a lot of people are willing to pay to watch them while being advertised at. Road construction is a battery job, football is a lightbulb job.

If Road construction is a battery job, football is the rock that an angry rioter uses to smash lightbulb jobs to death with.

I find the prestige and wealth that professional sports gets absolutely disheartening.

[Ruslan]

I design electronic components for my job. Most of them are used for communications, Internet, etc. And as we all know, the Internet is 90% porn. Whenever asked what do I do for a living, I have to strongly resist the temptation to reply "I'm in porn".

[LeighTheDwarf]

Despite my wife's insistence that I be more vague when people ask what "I do" as she finds it shameful (she is a college graduate from a middle class background), I am proud because of the utility of my work.
Make no mistake blue collar work is unpleasant and dangerous (I've known men crippled and one killed because of their jobs), but it is often less soul destroying than white collar work. I recommend the book "Shop Class as Soulcraft" by Matthew Crawford that explores the subject.
In terms of how proud, it makes me, in my experience blue collar government works makes me the most proud, but is the hardest to do, and white collar private industry work while much easier physically, and often thought of as "higher status", has made me feel the most ashamed.

Your wife should look at it like this: Blue collar workers are like the knights of the modern day. They're men who live by their strength and do dangerous jobs that other people can't or don't dare to do, so that those weaker than them can be safe in their buildings. You're serving and defending the government (king) with your strength and repairing buildings for ladies, which will last long after the lady is dead, immortalizing her through your work. That is true chivalry. Blue collar guy, you are a knight.

[Conradine]

Proud of what I do? No. Really not.

[2D8HP]

Your wife should look at it like this: Blue collar workers are like the knights of the modern day. They're men who live by their strength and do dangerous jobs that other people can't or don't dare to do, so that those weaker than them can be safe in their buildings. You're serving and defending the government (king) with your strength and repairing buildings for ladies, which will last long after the lady is dead, immortalizing her through your work. That is true chivalry. Blue collar guy, you are a knight.Your making me blush!

[LeighTheDwarf]

I prefer to look at things idealistically. :smallsmile:

I also think it is pretty cool that the OP is a teacher. You know how the old poem about teachers goes:

One hundred years from now
It won't matter
What kind of car I drove
What kind of house I lived in
How much money I had in the bank
Nor what my cloths looked like
BUT
The world may be a little better
Because, I was important
In the life of a child.

[No-Kill Cleric]

I'm currently a student. I get to learn some awesome stuff, but I'm not super proud of it. I hope Ill be proud when I get a job as an engineer.

I really enjoy being an Orientation Leader every fall. I enjoy being a happy face who knows stuff about things. I love helping students become comfortable in the place they'll be spend the next few years, but I really enjoy talking to parents. They always have the best questions, and I enjoy putting their mind at ease about their child. Students may forget me, but the parents remember the OLs for a long time.

My proudest job was when I developed a tea shop back in high school. I designed the logo, picked out our food suppliers, everything but the taxes stuff. I enjoyed being a waitress at my own place, for the few months it lasted.

[themaque]

I repair plumbing fixtures in government buildings, sometimes the staff facilities (which I most enjoy, because I often hear "thank you"), sometimes in the public use areas, but most often in the jail. And I sometimes also get thanked by the guard or inmates.

You are actively making peoples lives better working behind the scenes. (and many of those people lives are probably hard enough being in jail.)

I've lived in government housing and complexes, FAR to few people there seemed to take the time to really care, and I just wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU for putting in hard work and being proud of the work you do.

Seriously, Thank You.

And to all the rest of you. The nurse, the translator, the retail guy. Anyone who takes pride in their job or even just the WAY you do your job. THANK YOU.

[JeenLeen]

I would say not proud of my job, but I take pride in helping others and making their days easier through what I do in my job.

My current job is part of state government in education. I'm thankful for it and, for the most part, enjoy the work, but if the system was better my job wouldn't be needed.
However, I like how I can help out folk in the school districts and in the department. It's also nice when I can help someone out who is looking for info for their dissertation or other research.

I really enjoyed when I worked in fast food. It was a nice (well, kinda grummy but pleasant), non-chain store. I felt like serving folk food made their day easier and more enjoyable. Help relieve some stress and give some benefit. So, I was proud working there and still remember it fondly.

[Pluto!]

I saw this thread and immediately wrote "hahahahahahaha. ha. ... ha. :smallfrown:" but I left it unposted because I didn't really want to elaborate and it didn't seem productive.

Then in a conversation with the guy at my hotel welcome desk yesterday, I caught myself saying that my day to day grind kind of sucks.

That was when I realized that I was talking to a guy who works at a hotel welcome desk, probably for near minimum wage, and probably not full time, and I was dissatisfied that my job, where I am near the top of the totem pole, travel often, have a unique and vital skillset and receive better compensation and respect than I probably deserve, isn't always a good time.

I definitely kicked myself once I walked away.

After that, I'm feeling some paradigms shifting.

[AMFV]

I saw this thread and immediately wrote "hahahahahahaha. ha. ... ha. :smallfrown:" but I left it unposted because I didn't really want to elaborate and it didn't seem productive.

Then in a conversation with the guy at my hotel welcome desk yesterday, I caught myself saying that my day to day grind kind of sucks.

That was when I realized that I was talking to a guy who works at a hotel welcome desk, probably for near minimum wage, and probably not full time, and I was dissatisfied that my job, where I am near the top of the totem pole, travel often, have a unique and vital skillset and receive better compensation and respect than I probably deserve, isn't always a good time.

I definitely kicked myself once I walked away.

After that, I'm feeling some paradigms shifting.

Well to be fair you probably have to deal with things that suck, just different kinds of suck. A Hotel Welcome Desk worker doesn't have to deal with a lot of the sucky things that people might in other jobs, their job isn't physically demanding, it doesn't involve working in the weather, it probably doesn't involve lots of travel away from family. I mean not that their work isn't work to be proud of (I think the pride should come in doing any work well after all). But simply because your job results in better circumstances isn't a reason to suppose that the hotel clerk's life is inherently any worse. After all, they may have chosen that work, and they may love it. They might not need as much money to be happy, or the opportunities for travel might be something they would despise.

[Icewraith]

I design equipment used in military weapons testing.

More specifically, I post here while I wait for my simulation software to finish running or during lunch.

I hate that we live in a world where such things are necessary, but if we're going to have the damn things, they may as well do exactly what they're supposed to, and go exactly where they're supposed to, and not a bit more or less. The alternative is much worse.

[Telonius]

I'm almost never ashamed of anything I do, but I'm probably the least proud of the things I get paid for. I work for a science journal. I describe my job as "helping scientists use our submission website." Said website is a clunky, complicated mess that's about a thousand times better than it was when I started working here 13 years ago. It can be supremely boring, but isn't usually soul-destroying. I really like the mission (yay science!) and it's great to see research before literally anyone else gets to see it, but it's not what I really want to be doing.

[D20ragon]

I don't know if I'm proud per say, but I'm satisfied that I can make writing work. On occasion I wish I was writing different material, but, such is life. I try to not sweat it.

[Bohandas]

My job could be done by a machine. In fact, for the most part it is done by a machine; I basically just point people to it. (edit: I'm a ticket taker at a venue where most people prefer to scan their tickets themselves; I could easily be replaced with a tollbooth arm)


Still, once upon a time I worked in a factory produced poison for human consumption

Tobacco industry, booze industry, or alternative "medicine" industry?

[goto124]

I design equipment used in military weapons testing.

More specifically, I post here while I wait for my simulation software to finish running or during lunch.

https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/compiling.png
'Are you stealing those LCDs?' 'Yeah, but I'm doing it while my code compiles.'

[drack]

Tobacco industry, booze industry, or alternative "medicine" industry?
I've never been one to stifle the imagination of others. So as not to give you the wrong idea though, it was, in my country, at the time, legal. :smallsmile:

[Florian]

Hm. Difficult to say.

I´m proud that I decided to spent some money on courses to sharpen some vital skills, flip my old employer the bird and went freelance from then on. I´m also proud that I did´t let the whole traveling, hotel rooms and loneliness away from family and friends drag me down.

The job itself was pointless beyond words. Doing high-level IT consulting for Fortune 500 companies always is, in the end, as your personal contribution is meaningless.

Now I´m even prouder that I´m just doing some final freelance jobs in the time it takes for the really vital stuff for the company I founded to arrive and be installed. I can´t wait to finally create something of my own, practically with my own hands.

[veti]

I've never been one to stifle the imagination of others. So as not to give you the wrong idea though, it was, in my country, at the time, legal. :smallsmile:

I'm guessing, McDonalds...

[goto124]

I'm guessing, McDonalds...

Can't be, McDonalds is still legal.

[drack]

My point with that pertained more to how the respect of others, or their pride in you is another potential source of pride in your work, much like how sports or prestige outweighing feeling of accomplishment in the eyes of some was mentioned further down in the thread. My vagueness is mostly just for my own privacy (or whatever illusion of it I choose to hold), yet I figured to clarify that we weren't talking illegal activity (forum rules and all.) Additionally I figured even a vague start to a chain to thought gives it some anchorage to real life then just floating an abstract concept. In any case, it's probably better that I don't indulge guesses, so as not to derail the thread. After all, provoking introspection is rarely a bad thing in my book. :smallsmile:

[Grinner]

My money's on drugs of some kind.

[THEChanger]

It's interesting, to me, that this thread seems to be asking two different questions. The first is about employment, and if I had to answer the question of 'Am I proud of the thing I do to make money', I'd have to say no, because I currently don't have a job. I'm just out of college, at a time in my life when my mental health simply didn't allow for maintaining grades and even a part-time job(hell, I almost couldn't maintain passing grades even without a job. Go figure.). The search for employment is daunting. I have a couple of leads on part time jobs that sound interesting, at least, and if those interviews go well I will conduct myself at those jobs in a manner that I would be proud of. In my acting work, I am proud of my persistence if nothing else, and even though I haven't landed a role recently, I am proud of the work I do in my auditions.

But, when I saw the question as written, I had to really think about it. Because, while that's the state of my employment, it isn't what I do. I can say that I'm an actor, but I'm not actually doing much acting at the moment. And I don't have employment I can call my job. So what is it that I do?

Long session of thinking on that(and if I'm honest, thinking about things more than I need to is probably what I do with 80-90% of my time). And what I do, it turns out, is serve as an advocate for the Autistic community. Out of all the things I do, that's the thing I've been putting the most effort into. Educating people I know, trying to dispel rumor, hearsay, and terrorizing narrative, speaking with the mental health professionals at the institution I used to belong to. I even spoke on a podcast about my experiences as an Autistic person - which took a lot of courage, and is something I'm extraordinarily proud of. Even more than the endless grind of auditioning, even more than my interest in ttrpgs, and especially more than the search for a day job, that advocacy is the thing that I'm pouring my energy into, and gets me up in the morning. So that must be 'what I do'. And that is something I'm proud of.

[Florian]

@THEChanger:

Have you tried to find a job at an NGO that is concerned with autistic people?

Speaking of NGOs, that´s generally a trend I noticed around White Collar workers. A lot of NGOs report that they have more volunteers than they could every really use, except, naturally, when it comes to the deep end of certain jobs, like care of terminal patients. It seems to be a trend that people simply gain their pride at the job elsewhere now.

[Argash]

I work in security and take pride in the work I do, but I'm not particularly proud of my job. Its presently just a job that's getting me to where I'm headed, then it'll be behind me and I won't give the job much more thought

[Madbox]

I am proud to be employed. I am proud to have somehow gotten a job that pays enough to support a family of four, straight out of high school, without any debt or family that requires support. I am not proud of my job, though.

I work in the utilities department at a chemical plant that manufactures fuel grade ethanol. My job, by its very nature, gets no thanks when things are going well. The ratio of coworkers that i want to see get run over by a truck to coworkers I respect is alarmingly high, especially compared to my last job, which was in fast food. The middle management consists entirely of bad engineers. And I know what decent engineers are like, half of my family has some sort of engineering job.

[2D8HP]

I repair plumbing fixtures in government buildings, sometimes the staff facilities (which I most enjoy, because I often hear "thank you"), sometimes in the public use areas, but most often in the jail.As sort of an addendum to my previous posts, while with their long shifts they're usually seem somnolent, on occasion I've seen the Guards imoressively act very quickly and forcefully (the Cops as well, but I don't see them in action as much).
But I've never seen anyone be as simply BADASS as Labor and Delivery Nurses and Physicians.
Childbirth is no joke and they face so much drama day after day.
They get my vote for who should be proud!

[Lycanthrope13]

I've worked a lot of different jobs over the years, mostly outside of my chosen field (chemistry). Some were pretty cool. Some sounded cooler than they were. There's only one I can truly say I'm proud of. I used to work as a Prototype Technician for CNH. I spent my days building and repairing experimental combines and cotton pickers. I'm especially proud to say that I exposed an engineering flaw which could have cost people their lives, and I contributed to a technical service bulletin for the Case 420 and 620 cotton pickers. I wish I could say more about it, but I'm still bound by a confidentiality agreement. It sucks that it was a temp position.

Now I drive a chicken truck. As I write this, I'm waiting for a Chinese restaurant to open so I can deliver 400 lbs of chicken wings. It's not glamorous, but it is important, and strangely enough, I enjoy it. That's the important part.

[razorback]

I would say I'm not terrible proud of the job that pays me (it's important, keeps a bunch of other people employed and indirectly responsible for helping machines that treat cancer patients are up and running when they go down).
My proudest part of 'what I do' would be the job I don't get paid for. I teach several classes at martial arts school I attend but my proudest is the little kids, 3-6 years old. Besides my 9 year old son, this is the most long term impact that I have on the next generation. I would say 10 of the 15 kids in my class have some sort of 'issue', be it on the Autistic spectrum or ADD/ADHD. Our school, besides teaching people to fight, is very big on making people into better people. Teaching these little kids to hit and kick correctly while also teaching them why you shouldn't need to most of the time, to be one of the 'good guys' and not a bully, while wrangling them for an hour to keep them focused and moving from subject to subject is a bit exhausting but deeply satisfying.

[Jaycemonde]

Sure, I can say I'm pretty proud of my job now that I do contract reset work for stores. I'm sure I'll change my mind about it eventually, but it's wonderfully useful and honest compared to being a delivery driver for less than minimum wage.

[jscape2000]

My proudest part of 'what I do' would be the job I don't get paid for. I teach several classes at martial arts school I attend but my proudest is the little kids, 3-6 years old. Besides my 9 year old son, this is the most long term impact that I have on the next generation. I would say 10 of the 15 kids in my class have some sort of 'issue', be it on the Autistic spectrum or ADD/ADHD. Our school, besides teaching people to fight, is very big on making people into better people. Teaching these little kids to hit and kick correctly while also teaching them why you shouldn't need to most of the time, to be one of the 'good guys' and not a bully, while wrangling them for an hour to keep them focused and moving from subject to subject is a bit exhausting but deeply satisfying.

I really relate to this point. My day job is important in an tiny way (fundraising at a college; I like to think that I'm helping somebody grow up to be smarter than me).

But it's my volunteer work, and the occasional class I teach in the English department, and how I try to treat people at work that I'm proud of. I'm not proud of what I do. I'm proud of how I do it.

[Sajiri]

Im not sure if Im proud of what I do, but I dont dislike it either. Although it makes a real difference in how your employers treat you. I used to just be called a warehouse assistant, never included in any company emails, never given direct access to any of the systems despite they all concerned me more than my coworkers, basically treated as though I didn't exist. A different company took over our's, suddenly my position despite having all the same duties is office admin, immediately set up with everything the old bosses wouldnt allow me to, and get welcome to the company emails sent out to the whole country. Makes it so now if someone asks me what I do, Im not ashamed to tell them despite it's the same job.

[rajgupta]

be proud of who you are

[Bohandas]

The only job that I ever had that could not be done better by a machine I recently had to quit because it was a volunteer position that conflicted with an actually paying job that I recently got that I hate :(

[2D8HP]

The only job........(
Sad to learn this.

[Winter_Wolf]

Well my job still sucks, but since I'm parting A-holes with their money, that's a nice consolation. But recently I've been able to take pride in my home's lawn/landscaping. I do it myself, and I want to do it right, so it's actually with feeling the sense of accomplishment. with a couple shovels I'm sure I could do a lot more damage improvements.

How odd, hitting "preview" posted to thread.

[Xapi]

I have a job. I'm proud that it supports my wife and child, I'm proud that I chose to take this job when my wife needed me to support her, and I'm proud that I've been able to keep it for 8 years.

What I actually do here isn't doing wonders for anyone, but I feel like I'm gaining experience (actual experience and CV experience) that may help me make a difference some day in the field I chose to make my carreer (Energy and electricity).

I also spent a part of my younger years founding and working at a political party in my university, and now, ten years later, I am proud of what is being achieved by those who came after me, and I a proud that they still come to me for counseling, and I am able to give it.

[laotze]

I'm a lawyer by profession and I actually do love certain parts of it (and am pretty good at it), but the lifestyle is awful and it puts a damper on my passions like acting, gaming, and (non-legal) writing. I'm most proud of the pro bono refugee work I've done and the people I've helped start new lives here in escape from some pretty hellish situations, even though I mostly work for The Man otherwise.

[Frozen_Feet]

As far my job goes, "making walls in a factory" would be a pretty odd thing to be proud of. My occasional feelings of pride or shame have more to do with how well I happen to be doing my job than what said job is.

This said, I do feel there's a special quality drawing me to construction rather than academics, despite pressure towards the latter. I never, ever have to wonder about the question "have I done anything concrete in my life?"

[Remmirath]

I suppose I'm fairly proud of what I do. On the one hand, I design and keep up the website for a local independent news source, and that is -- while not ultimately what I want to be doing -- something that I can still feel proud of. On the other hand, I'm also hard at work making what I do really want to do (writing and drawing graphic novels and books) work for me in the long run. I don't know whether I'll be able to make that one work out yet, but regardless of whether or not I can in the end, I think I'll still be proud of myself for having tried and for accomplishing what I have so far.

I can also be proud of the work I've done in the local children's theatre over the years, even though I'm no longer doing that; I got to work with great people, and I got to teach a lot of kids cool stuff, and see them get better at acting and tech work and all from show to show that I worked with them on. Same goes for my assisting with a college stage combat class (which I am still doing), even though that's not something I get paid for. Helping other people learn things while doing things that one likes is pretty neat, after all.

So yeah, at this point in my life, I'm happy with what I do and I suppose reasonably proud. My answer could change later, but hopefully it won't.

[Grinner]

This said, I do feel there's a special quality drawing me to construction rather than academics, despite pressure towards the latter. I never, ever have to wonder about the question "have I done anything concrete in my life?"

Ha ha. Concrete. I get it. :smallbiggrin:

[Yael]

My job? No. I wish I could go back to studying the university. I mean, my job doesn't require that much effort, and I can even browse the forums while at it, but the pay is equivalent to that, and because of my experience at jobs (I'm 22 years old, basically I've got no experience whatsoever, I haven't lasted enough in any job to be considered experienced), I cannot get anything better... Especially in the country I live in, where (even with studies) you won't get a good job unless you know someone who will get you in.

It kinda depresses me, as what I get isn't enough to sustain me and my girlfriend (I am trying tho), and after my accident a few weeks ago, I got incapacitated, further making my income less stable. I don't want to quit either to find something better because of the reasons I already said, and the fact that I was unemployed for a whole year, even if I was actively looking for a job. :smallfrown:

[Frozen_Feet]

Ha ha. Concrete. I get it. :smallbiggrin:

It's a matter of drawing the line somewhere. Any life philosophy for which actual concrete walls are not concrete enough can burn in fire. :smalltongue:

[2D8HP]

My job? No. I wish I could go back to studying the university:I wish we all had the privilege of studying at a University.

[Ulthraun]

No sadly, but I still have many years ahead of me so I'm going to keep fighting for what I want to do. ;D

[Liquor Box]

I am a lawyer.

I am proud of what I do in the context that I am able to provide a good living for my young family and because I am good at a challenging job.

I am not particularly proud of what I do from an altruistic perspective though.

[ForzaFiori]

Im currently a residential electrician in training, and I would say Im not currently ashamed of my job (I have been before - when I worked at Walmart I dreaded any of my friends or family asking where I worked). I've worked several different construction-esque jobs, and while I'm not proud of it in the way I'd expect an artist or entrepreneur would be, but I certainly take some pride in the fact that I do what I do. Knowing that I have a skill that is invaluable, that people rely on and that can earn a decent wage, but I'm not desperate hopeful that people will ask me what I do, and I come home from work every day more than willing to stop working, which I'd assume is how most jobs are. I would love to have one that I love though. Thankfully I'm still young enough I hope I'll have the chance to actually manage to.

[2D8HP]

Im currently a residential electrician in training.....
While I still envy those who have been privileged with University educations (especially when I've read me wife's old textbooks) reading the book Shop Class as Soulcraft (https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp/0143117467) has made me less envious of the jobs that require those educations (the author has worked as a residential electrician, which is why your post reminded me of the book).
The book grew from this essay (http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/shop-class-as-soulcraft).

[siati]

I dropped out of high school and was only able to get min wage jobs (call centers, retail, house cleaning services, etc).. Not terribly proud of the jobs I had, but I currently do programming on the side, for free (temporarily).. I am proud that I learned a programming language, though I wish I would have picked it up years ago.. :smallannoyed:

[steen_dl]

it's different for most of us, i am an illustrator and although it's a tough job unlike other professions where you first finish a degree and all, then get the bragging rights, for us artists it's very different, but we love what we do, and that's why we did it in the first place. i guess it's a matter of knowing you're in that situation because you wanted it yourself and because you were motivated and pushed by your peers/family/relatives, after all this all that matters is what you gain out of it, and with what you gain, who are you being able to help? if it's all worth it, i think the job description itself is irrelevant, it's the cause that matters more. i think.