The World Owes Me a Living

[Milton]

"My Arts Degree Hasn't Made My Fortune"

Gosh, what a sense of entitlement. Call me reactionary, but I found this attitude questionable.

I grew up in a family of artists to whom the idea that anyone should spend their days doing anything they don’t love is anathema.

In 2006, aged 25, I swanned out of Manchester University, up Oxford Road to Rushholme jobcentre, and signed on the dole. There is nothing wrong with this, but I accept that, in the age of universal credit and exorbitant living costs, it’s simply not an option for today’s graduates. I realise too that such a life involves deprivations and that gainful employment can teach us about cooperating with others, the value of time and financial independence. But that work must be meaningful and not part of the “bullshit jobs” epidemic which, according to the anthropologist David Graeber, leaves “a scar across our collective soul”.

 

[Amethyst]

The author may indeed have an attitude of entitlement, but I think a lot of us can empathize with '"the “bullshit jobs” epidemic which, according to the anthropologist David Graeber, leaves “a scar across our collective soul”.' It's why so many are desperate to FIRE before their souls are irredeemably scarred...

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

No one ever told snowflake that an Arts degree wasn't going to pay the bills. Too bad.

 

[skipro33]

The Millennial mind set reminds me a lot of myself and how I interacted with my father. He wouldn't let me have a 'hippy' hair cut. With just about everything he'd say,"If it was good enough for me, then it's good enough for you." Man I hated that! I swore no way in hell I would ever settle for what he, or anyone else for that matter, thought was 'good enough'. In the end, I have a much richer life than he ever could have dreamed of and my kids are light years ahead of me. I'm still out about the grand kids though... Ha!
Anyways, if Millennials can figure out how to succeed with their life plan, I'm o.k. with it. Personally, I think they miss out on the history of their heritage, writing off the old ways of doing things as outdated before they even try to understand the depth of what that even entails.

 

[MichaelB]

The thread title is certainly misleading, I don’t see that attitude expressed anywhere in the article.

 

[Milton]

I think a lot of us can empathize with '"the “bullshit jobs” epidemic which, according to the anthropologist David Graeber, leaves “a scar across our collective soul”.' It's why so many are desperate to FIRE before their souls are irredeemably scarred...

Yes, I agree with you and the same thought had occurred to me. I certainly don't feel that there is something particularly noble or glorious about the great majority of jobs.

That said, most people are willing to invest a certain amount of time and effort in "bullshit jobs" in order to pursue FIRE. I don't particularly admire any young person, without any disabilities or similar disadvantages, who feels that there is "nothing wrong with" living off social services in order to pursue their muse.

 

[audreyh1]

I don’t agree with the concept of a “millennial mindset”.

I’ve seen plenty of entitlement expressed by people from every generation.

 

[Which Roger]

Yes, I agree with you and the same thought had occurred to me. I certainly don't feel that there is something particularly noble or glorious about the great majority of jobs.

Agreed, but some people (myself included) are fortunate to have a natural aptitude for skills that are highly valued. In my case, it led to a successful career as a software engineer. If, on the other hand, I had been born into a different world where (for example) art and musical ability were the most-valued skills, and STEM-related fields were not valued, I would have been screwed.

 

[calmloki]

After reading I have no problem with the writer. He accepts that there is a trade-off in studying in areas that don't offer fat cash rewards. He chooses his choice. Many here, as Amethyst noted, have done their best to work a minimum length of time to achieve a goal of not working. Their choice. At 69 I'm still a landlord, though we have no heirs and way more assets than needed to reach the end of our lives in comfort. My choice.

My class in college produced many future lawyers and doctors and diplomats. It also produced at least one landlord as well as a person who cleans construction sites. The construction site cleaner was one of the deepest thinking and sharpest minds back in college days - no reason to think it is otherwise now. Her way of making food money doesn't disturb or distress me - her choice.

 

[Hermit]

DD has a degree from the performing arts dept. of her college. She makes enough to live on and put some away and she works in a theater. Some weeks her paycheck is bigger than her established software engineer husband. Those weeks are some pretty outrageous hours though.

 

[Nemo2]

I've always liked being able to sleep indoors when I so desired, and also to ingest comestibles....therefore I did whatever was necessary to attain both.

 

[hesperus]

I don’t agree with the concept of a “millennial mindset”.

I’ve seen plenty of entitlement expressed by people from every generation.

+1

 

[CaliKid]

I don't know if some people want to go on the dole (should we add something akin to the UK version) maybe it's better as it leaves the good jobs for the rest of us. Maybe it's not that big of a deal if 5-10% of the population just want to accept an extremely low "wage". The fact is most of us would not want that so what's the real harm!? Forcing people to work who are not workers just puts all of us in front of crappy customer service reps every day. I have not thought this one all the way through. Just thinking out loud here.

 

[Conundrum]

Who knows if Bill Gates really authored this but I found parts seemingly appropriate for the topic

 

[TwoByFour]

Humans have been on this planet 300,000 years, give or take. For the vast majority of that time one didn't have the option of saying "hunting and gathering is bull ****, I'm not gonna do it anymore", or "tilling the land is bull ****". It is only the last 50 years that people can now say that and get away with it. I am not sure that is a good thing. But it does seem to be the trend. People are talking about a future of universal basic income because robotics will render humans irrelevant in the work force. Some people are just getting a jump on that, I guess.

 

[travelover]

The thread title is certainly misleading, I don’t see that attitude expressed anywhere in the article.

Geeze, don't ruin a good rant thread with facts. This is another great opportunity for us to pat ourselves on the back.

 

[MRG]

I've always liked being able to sleep indoors when I so desired, and also to ingest comestibles....therefore I did whatever was necessary to attain both.

+1
Sometimes it wasn't pleasant or really safe but I figured out if I didn't and someone else would I wouldn't have job. (Once I did refuse to push a live powerline out of the road with a stick, that seemed like a great way to die).[emoji16]

 

[Bestwifeever]

I thought that was a good article and the author is certainly not complaining in it. There is more than STEM to make the world go around.

 

[FrankiesGirl]

I had an arts degree. A BFA actually. I made a damned good living with it, and my work has been seen in publications worldwide. It isn't about the degree sometimes, it's about talent, ability to do hard work, and lots of luck. If you don't have at least two of those three, then don't go into the arts. Pretty simple actually.

 

[razztazz]

Who knows if Bill Gates really authored this but I found parts seemingly appropriate for the topic

If gates had written that it would read: Get born lucky and let The Government make you billionaire. Hey, worked for me!

 

[joeea]

I don’t agree with the concept of a “millennial mindset”.

I’ve seen plenty of entitlement expressed by people from every generation.

Bingo!

It's lazy thinking to believe all millennials have the same mindset or are "entitled". Just as it's foolish to believe all Boomers think or act the same.

We'd all be far better off abandoning this "generational war" nonsense and start treating individuals like individuals.

 

[Koogie]

I've always liked being able to sleep indoors when I so desired, and also to ingest comestibles....therefore I did whatever was necessary to attain both.

+1

This Youtube clip from Mike Rowe is illuminating. There is reward and pride obtainable from doing hard work well even if it is "unfashionable"
It might "scar your soul" not to get to be an artiste but hard work is it's own reward in many ways (including, increasingly, monetarily).

 

[joeea]

Who knows if Bill Gates really authored this but I found parts seemingly appropriate for the topic

It wasn't Bill Gates. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/some-rules-kids-wont-learn-in-school/

And now you know.

 

[ivinsfan]

The comment about the BS jobs was annoying to me. Many people do these so called jobs so the author can have power, water, food a safe environment. Go out to eat in a restaurant is that a BS job somebody does so you can have a nice meal out?


A little air of superiority from people toward the people taking care of all the "BS" in the world so you can have a comfortable life.

 

[mh]

If gates had written that it would read: Get born lucky and let The Government make you billionaire. Hey, worked for me!

It’s completely bogus. I went back and checked. It’s looks pretty fake since he doesn’t really talk in that way if you’ve read any of his interviews, etc..