MY RESPONSE TO A VERY BAD MEME (What’s a meme? Click here MEME)
>Do You Have A “Slash Career”?
>Posted by: “Vincent Wright”
>Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:13 am (PST)
>I was just introduced to what I’ve been doing for the past 20 years:
>indulging in a “slash career”
>If the term is new to you, the concept likely isn’t.
I’d probably assert that what was once my career, “Information Technology”, is no longer. It’s been destroyed by US government (aka gooferment) policy, the unintended consequences of those policies, Wall Street, and the globalization – outsourcing – offshoring – downsizing – rightsizing. [I can justify those indictments if any one doesn’t think they stand prima facie on their own?] The marketplace is just throwing a little dirt of it now. At one time, IT was an excellent career choice. But, like the Auto Industry, and the village blacksmith, it’s been consigned to the trash heap. I no longer advise smart kids to enter the field as a “career”. Learn about IT as it enables you to accomplish YOUR goal, but as a career choice “No way, Jose”. (I push biotech, chemistry, and math as “non careers”.)
I’ll even go a step further! “Career” is a meme from the Fifties Generation. Worked well for my Mom who spent 42 years with AT&T and was well treated when they no longer needed her shoving her out the door. That type of “golden” treatment ended real quick! Now, one just gets shove out the door, voted off the island, or dumped out of the sinking lifeboat. Given the way that the politicians are piloting the American ship of state, we’ll all be lucky to live as well as Robinson Crusoe. One might have a “career” in things like medicine, law, sports, or the arts; not elsewhere.
Now that may sound glum. And, it is for those of us left stranded on “the island of career” or “the island of Information Technology” as we fight for the scraps of an ever diminishing carcass to feed off of. It ignores the inevitability of human progress. From where ever “we” started — exiting Garden of Eden or crawling up from the mire — the journey continues as the species evolves. Any one, who doesn’t think it continues, look around the labels “children – teenager – youthful offender” and see how much faster boys ‘n’ girls are really becoming men ‘n’ women! Our paradigms and memes continue also to evolve as we’ve gone from “Uggg clubs Ogg to steal his food” to “the collective Uggg’s IRS steals a big percentage of Ogg’s ‘income’ to feed all the Ugggs”. See? Progress. At least, Ogg gets to keep something! We’ve gone thru mob rule, tyrants, kings, oligarchies, dictators, and now “public servants in government” rule us. Two steps forward and one step back.
It’s our thinking (i.e., paradigms of perception and memes of concepts) that are our own worst enemy.
There’s no “career”!
With apologies fro quoting Star Wars Yoda to you, (I think movies have some really great lines of wisdom for us) “Do. Or do not. There is no ‘try’!” (The disgust at the word “try” really can’t come thru in text.)
So to, I’d say — with the same taste of vomit — “There is NO career.”
Advising youth, I have copyrighted patented super-secret keys to wisdom, wealth, and happiness. If you promise not to tell anyone Vincent, I’ll share it again with you. (Again! … I know we done this comedy bit before. But it seemed to bear repeating.) Shush now it’s a secret. It anyone looking?
*** begin secret ***
Success for your generation is: (1) ruthless financial discipline — no bad debt; (2) a life long interest in learning — education — a degree — they can’t take it away from you; (3) a white collar job in order to save big bux; (4) a blue collar skill for hard times — never saw a poor plumber; (5) one or more internet based businesses — your store is always open; (6) a free time hobby that generates income; and (7) a large will-maintained network of people who can “help” you.
*** end quote ***
Notice that no where in there is there any mention of the illusion of a “career”.
So, I have no career. Some say I am “helpless”. Or was that “hopeless”. Ahh, it’s only one letter difference anyway. I’m at the end of my useful career life anyway. (Although I do have the illusion of one last BIG job, making a big difference, and finally defeating the forces of evil, and restoring truth, justice, and the American … … oh wait that was Superman’s elevator speech. Well, one big job where I can make a contribution. Anyone in 08824 need a big bux cto? Not counting my last assignment as the WallMart greeter.) So one has to expect that progress will leave one on the roadside as it marches on.
So, I hope this isn’t too “Prince of Darkness” to your usually upbeat tone.
But, “career” is a meme for the trash heap imho.
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Reinke Faces Life 