Reflections 26 June
On my Mind
Jobs
I wrote last week concerning the power of labels to shape our thinking. This week, the label on my mind has been "job".
In old English, a "job" describes a small parcel of something of little value that could be moved from place to place, as in "a job of coal".
Job. (1) A low mean lucrative busy affair. (2) Petty, piddling work; a piece of chance work.
Johnson's Dictionary
Yet we now confer status on jobs that give them an identity and power all of their own. Conservative MP's talk freely about worrying about the security of their "jobs" under the leadership of a rogue leader more than the impact of that rogue leader on our futures.. "Jobs" have become a proxy for the economy's health. Jobs in banking are deemed "better" than nursing jobs, even though they generally require far less training and deliver far less value to society. Certain categories of jobs, such as rail or airline staff, are treated as commodities whilst others, often in manage…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Outside the Walls to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.