Andy,
That was partly what I was getting at. Coping
strategies like the friendly cashier, toll booth
operater etc can appear to an outsider as enjoyment or
to use your word happy. Those "coping strategies" may
even become virtues so to speak such as "work ethic",
or doing ones best.
Yet, to even take your assertion that most poor
workers are not "happy" in their jobs, what does that
mean? What does it mean to be happy in ones job?
The lottery question has, of course, as its
assumption, money. That if ones motivation is money,
and ones job is oppressive, then they would take the
money and run. If there are other factors to ones
motivation, then this would not hold true. This, of
course has nothing to do with enjoyment or happiness
per se.
One may very well stay in an oppressive situation
because of habit, it houses ones social network etc.
This would be particularily true for those who have
worked at a particular company for generations.
Yet, I have to admit, I am still wondering what
"happy" in ones job looks like.
--- Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net> wrote:
> I guess we like these stories because getting
> enjoyment and fulfillment out
> of a routine unskilled job takes a special talent.
> One gets the feeling
> that Ana's traffic cop, your cook or my
> toll-collector could have earnt
> lots of money, but their special quality allowed
> them to get total
> fulfillment from what we could never cope with. I
> think this is something
> different from the "Aunt Jamima Syndrome". Poor
> people doing routine jobs
> are not usually happy in their job. But the prospect
> that anyone is capable
> of enjoying their job is a kind of Utopian vision,
> and just a few people
> are capable of living that vision.
>
> Andy
> At 03:46 AM 17/12/2003 -0800, you wrote:
> >There is a local resturaunt by our house which is a
> >favorite because of the cook. Usually the cook is
> kind
> >of hidden in the back, but this one comes out, goes
> to
> >your table, and cracks a joke or two. One day, the
> >summer after 9-1-1, my kids and I went there and a
> >group of elderly church like ladies came in with
> red
> >hats. This cook came out out and loudly asked,
> "what's
> >up with those red hats". He then loudly proclaimed,
> >"Ladies and gentleman, beware its the red hatted
> >terrorists."
> >
> >Yet, there seems to be this other side too, Aunt
> >Jaminma factor. If one looks at old 1930's
> cartoons,
> >which were clearly propaganda, one sees these
> strong
> >images of African Americans happy as shit in their
> >oppression.
> >
> >So, I have these mixed feelings. On the one hand, I
> >agree with much of what is said. Those that are
> >economically and socially oppressed are able to
> find
> >enjoyment in their work. Yet, what interpretation
> does
> >the powers that be make of this with studies that
> >focus on enjoyment. Is it like the Aunt Jamina
> >propaganda films that aim to show society that
> 1930's
> >African American life can't be that bad if Aunt
> Jamima
> >is that happy.
> >
> >I remember this old Christmas story that might be
> >pertinant. Its begins like the classic two worlds
> >story. There are two children, one rich and one
> poor,
> >the day after Christmas. One, the rich child, got
> all
> >the newest toys; DVD player, X-Box, Bratz dolls,
> wide
> >screen tv etc, while the other, the poor child,
> only
> >got a big bag of shit. After about an hour the rich
> >kid is bored and not sure what to play with next,
> >while the poor kid is still enjoying playing with
> his
> >shit.
> >
> >I'm not sure why I was told this story as a child.
> >Partly I suppose to demonstrate how I was much
> happier
> >than any rich child with a silver spoon in his
> mouth.
> >
> >
> >
> >=====
>
=====
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