I love the subtext in your posts, and my take away is: write seriously because you love it, work out of necessity, however, not necessarily because you love it. As a sociologist, you likely say to yourself, now that’s a just enough in the glass to wash away medicinal bitterness way of looking at it….
Yes, I think the whole trope that if you have a job you love, you never work a day in your life--that's some serious capitalist propaganda. Under those conditions, we might as well work for free, which is exactly what the people in charge want us to do. I do like my job, but it's still work, no mistake.
You know, I think it’s the same in any business or industry, and writing is a business and industry. It’s absolutely the same with art and photography. I’ve seen some really high priced art that I’m not impressed at all by and I’ve seen amazing artists who struggle to get by. I had a friend take up photography and immediately start selling high dollar prints, but her ex is one of the wealthiest people in the Midwest. She’s super connected in a rich community, and she had access to be able to print large prints and put them up in a shop immediately. I have to manage my feelings of jealousy from time to time, but that’s her life not mine. It’s the same in any career. I’ve seen really talented people that are making very little money and don’t get much advancement. I’ve seen a lot of executives who were definitely not the cream of the crop. I really don’t understand why people think that there’s something special about people who made a lot of money in business, because it just isn’t always true.
When I came out of college, I went into a big six consulting firm. Everyone was hired straight out of school and you pretty quickly got a feel for who was stronger within the group. Everyone had gotten good grades in college to be clear. But some were stronger than others. Looking back now, 34 years later, it wasn’t the people who were really the most capable that ended up as C level executives. In several cases, it was the ones who were not very strong, but, they were willing to play the game. They were also white men and had all been in fraternities. Which is really just to say there isn’t a single place in life where it’s fair. There isn’t a single place where your effort or your skill 100% determine your success. You’re right in that the thing we can control is just showing up.
I wonder if it's we Americans that have to disabuse ourselves of this notion that life is fair. I mean, you see it in how we think about poor people as well as rich people. Poor people are there because of their "bad" decisions. They're undeserving, instead of victims of a system that's designed to produce poor people. So if the poor made bad decisions, the rich must have made good ones. I think this might be very American.
And, yes, oh, lord, the people at the top of any organization never seem to the smartest or most capable people. At least in academia, I think the smartest people take one look at those top positions and decide, "Nope. No way I'm taking that path." I've seen it with my own friends, who turn down offers to "move up" the academic/admin ladder.
Anyway, yes, all I can do is write the best I can and that brings it's own satisfaction, which is enough.
Absolutely. On both accounts. I've quit multiple jobs because they just kept promoting me to levels I didn't want. In this one I started out as a VP and now I have a single contributor role because I wanted nothing to do with board meetings and executive stuff.
Another goodie. Thx. Rejection is a pisser, but denying your own gut ability and talent is an even greater pisser. Keep on writing. You are good at it.
Well said! Good luck with the new stuff!
Thanks, Barb! Luck is what it takes!
I love the subtext in your posts, and my take away is: write seriously because you love it, work out of necessity, however, not necessarily because you love it. As a sociologist, you likely say to yourself, now that’s a just enough in the glass to wash away medicinal bitterness way of looking at it….
Yes, I think the whole trope that if you have a job you love, you never work a day in your life--that's some serious capitalist propaganda. Under those conditions, we might as well work for free, which is exactly what the people in charge want us to do. I do like my job, but it's still work, no mistake.
This working 💩, is literally for birds
You know, I think it’s the same in any business or industry, and writing is a business and industry. It’s absolutely the same with art and photography. I’ve seen some really high priced art that I’m not impressed at all by and I’ve seen amazing artists who struggle to get by. I had a friend take up photography and immediately start selling high dollar prints, but her ex is one of the wealthiest people in the Midwest. She’s super connected in a rich community, and she had access to be able to print large prints and put them up in a shop immediately. I have to manage my feelings of jealousy from time to time, but that’s her life not mine. It’s the same in any career. I’ve seen really talented people that are making very little money and don’t get much advancement. I’ve seen a lot of executives who were definitely not the cream of the crop. I really don’t understand why people think that there’s something special about people who made a lot of money in business, because it just isn’t always true.
When I came out of college, I went into a big six consulting firm. Everyone was hired straight out of school and you pretty quickly got a feel for who was stronger within the group. Everyone had gotten good grades in college to be clear. But some were stronger than others. Looking back now, 34 years later, it wasn’t the people who were really the most capable that ended up as C level executives. In several cases, it was the ones who were not very strong, but, they were willing to play the game. They were also white men and had all been in fraternities. Which is really just to say there isn’t a single place in life where it’s fair. There isn’t a single place where your effort or your skill 100% determine your success. You’re right in that the thing we can control is just showing up.
I wonder if it's we Americans that have to disabuse ourselves of this notion that life is fair. I mean, you see it in how we think about poor people as well as rich people. Poor people are there because of their "bad" decisions. They're undeserving, instead of victims of a system that's designed to produce poor people. So if the poor made bad decisions, the rich must have made good ones. I think this might be very American.
And, yes, oh, lord, the people at the top of any organization never seem to the smartest or most capable people. At least in academia, I think the smartest people take one look at those top positions and decide, "Nope. No way I'm taking that path." I've seen it with my own friends, who turn down offers to "move up" the academic/admin ladder.
Anyway, yes, all I can do is write the best I can and that brings it's own satisfaction, which is enough.
Absolutely. On both accounts. I've quit multiple jobs because they just kept promoting me to levels I didn't want. In this one I started out as a VP and now I have a single contributor role because I wanted nothing to do with board meetings and executive stuff.
You are a very wise woman, but then, I already knew that.
Love this
Thanks, Kaspa!
Another goodie. Thx. Rejection is a pisser, but denying your own gut ability and talent is an even greater pisser. Keep on writing. You are good at it.
Thanks, Betsey!