Free! Free at last... to work.

[nihilisticle]

Women's lib, civil rights. Both great revolutions in creating equal rights among all citizens. They've both succeeded (more or less) in freeing us....to work. So, enter in an equal rights relationship and work! Keep working even as your paycheck shrinks (on average, by 3% since 2000), keep working as your cost of living goes up, keep working as you get so stressed out you want to strangle your co-workers. Oh, you're feeling stressed? Haven't you read "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff?" Or maybe you could try some deep breathing exercises. Oh, you look real bad off.. here, take some tranquilizers and get back to work. What? You have kids? Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe you should consider what a bad parent you are for not working enough to take care of them. Try some therapy and bonding sessions with your child ... and get back to work.
You want to retire? Didn't you hear social security is so full of holes it can never be repaired? Didn't you hear of that 80-year-old guy who stayed with the company and never took a sick day?
Ok, ok. We'll let you retire, but you should consider your busy family! You better go to a nursing home and watch TV all day. Hope you enjoyed your life! It really was full of great memories

[AFK]

so what's the alternative?

Oh, and don't worry about those holes in Social Security.  The demographic earthquake that is going to occur when the baby boomers retire will make that the least of our problems. 

[B_M_W]

so what's the alternative?

Oh, and don't worry about those holes in Social Security.  The demographic earthquake that is going to occur when the baby boomers retire will make that the least of our problems. 

I'm more worried about the looming nuclear apocalypse with Iran.

[nihilisticle]

It's not a statement equivalent to work is bad... it's more like a question: why have there been more people entering the work force, yet the quality of life is declining?

[AFK]

so what's the alternative?

Oh, and don't worry about those holes in Social Security.  The demographic earthquake that is going to occur when the baby boomers retire will make that the least of our problems. 

I'm more worried about the looming nuclear apocalypse with Iran.

Good point. 

[Jasper]

OP:

It isn't like that the world over.  Americans are unnaturally obsessed with working and living joyless lives, next to europeans/Canadians.  In America, unlike other places, money justifies everything people do.  It's distasteful to me, so I make an effort to work in ways that suit me.  I take breaks when I need them, I refuse overtime if I don't feel like it, and generally work in a way that is hardworking and skillful yet laid back and unstressful.

[P3nT4gR4m]

so what's the alternative?

Oh, and don't worry about those holes in Social Security.  The demographic earthquake that is going to occur when the baby boomers retire will make that the least of our problems. 

I'm more worried about the looming nuclear apocalypse with Iran.

I got bored worrying about nuclear apocalypse during the cold war. I'm worrying about zombie invasion. Well, okay, maybe not as much worrying as praying for.

[LHX]

im learning how to plunge recklessly toward apocalypse while addressing all associated responsibilities

[Cain]

It's not a statement equivalent to work is bad... it's more like a question: why have there been more people entering the work force, yet the quality of life is declining?

"Free market policies" actually being an excuse for CEO's to raid company funds for personal benefit.  You know about Enron.  Thats happening everywhere, every day, because of deregulation, so no-one can check up on them fudging the accountancy figures.  So the CEOs continue to give themselves "turning up to work today" bonuses, everyone else gets paid peanuts because there are no laws to stop them and every other company is in on the game, and nothing gets better.  And any small companies who try to muscle in are instantly stomped because the big companies are backed by government welfare, which usually means despite the fact they are bankrupt they can kill off competition from below.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Women's lib, civil rights. Both great revolutions in creating equal rights among all citizens. They've both succeeded (more or less) in freeing us....to work. So, enter in an equal rights relationship and work! Keep working even as your paycheck shrinks (on average, by 3% since 2000), keep working as your cost of living goes up, keep working as you get so stressed out you want to strangle your co-workers. Oh, you're feeling stressed? Haven't you read "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff?" Or maybe you could try some deep breathing exercises. Oh, you look real bad off.. here, take some tranquilizers and get back to work. What? You have kids? Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe you should consider what a bad parent you are for not working enough to take care of them. Try some therapy and bonding sessions with your child ... and get back to work.
You want to retire? Didn't you hear social security is so full of holes it can never be repaired? Didn't you hear of that 80-year-old guy who stayed with the company and never took a sick day?
Ok, ok. We'll let you retire, but you should consider your busy family! You better go to a nursing home and watch TV all day. Hope you enjoyed your life! It really was full of great memories

Fuck yeah.  Another ranter.