In this last Terkel reading I read about Dolores Dante and Phil Stallings. Both of them wanted to be noticed as hardworking employees who could relate to the everyday lives of other citizens in the society. They wanted to focus on the fact that the goal of work was not all about making the most money, however it was to be remembered for the hard work and their love for their jobs. I believe these two employees were definitely right about this. People want to find purpose and meaning in what they do. The happiest people are not always the highest paid men in a law firm, but they are the artists barley being able to pay for their rent but doing so by spending everyday doing what makes them happy. People change their jobs to make themselves sound more important to feel a need to impress society with their responsibilities in the workforce, but this is not what gives their work meaning. To enjoy their lives they need to be passionate about their jobs. One man was comparing the work of a banker with the work of a fireman and he really makes it clear that what people want most of a job is something to make their lives fulfilling. He said, "I worked in a bank. You know, it's just paper. It's not real. Nine to five and it's shit. You're lookin' at numbers. But I can look back and say, 'I helped put out a fire. I helped save somebody.' It shows something I did on this earth." What people need is a sense of purpose. What good does it do to waste our time here on earth doing a job that makes us miserable and does nothing to really help society or the people around us? Dolores Dante added great insight into this idea of fining joy in your work no matter what it is you do. She had been working as a waitress for the last twenty five years and she was well aware that people did not think of this job as anything too impressive or fulfilling. She thought differently. She gives her opinion to her customers on whatever they may be discussing, from politics to her own personal philosophies. She said, "I just can't keep quiet. I have an opinion on every single subject there is. In the beginning it was theology, and my bosses didn't like it. Now I am a political and my bosses don't like it. I speak sotto voce. But if I get heated, then I don't give a damn. I speak like an Italian speaks. I can't e servile. I give service. There is a difference." I found it fascinating to hear her talk about her job this way. She really put thought into everything she did and said. She is not concerned so much with tips, but with the personal enjoyment she can bring herself out of her day. That's all she needs. She actually cares about the people she serves food to, sometimes going as far as mixing their salads herself because she knows how they like it and what will satisfy them better by putting her own twist on it. It is an exhausting job to her but she loves it. She does not see herself as 'just a waitress' but as a loyal friend to her customers and finds true joy and entertainment out of her job. The times now are a lot better for everyone in the workforce because now more minorities are getting involved in the workforce. Back in the Civil Rights Movement the blacks were not even allowed to work anywhere, besides of being slaves. Now in the modern day society women and blacks are given these opportunities to strive in work and it proves that they have the same ability as the dominant race. For example, Barack Obama became the first African-American President in the history of the United States, making a statement to the country that anything can be done if you put your mind to it. I am very satisfied with this change because I know that I will be able to work later in my career with a more diversified group then it was in the earlier age.
A very different interview on the subject of working in ordinary jobs was done with a man named Phil Stallings. He had a very different perspective on his job than Dolores Dante. He worked in an assembly line at a factory and did not find his job fulfilling in the slightest bit. He did not love his job at all. In fact, he found it to be almost painful, saying "repetition is such that if you were to think about the job itself, you'd slowly go out of your mind." But he found the solution. He believed that "if you involve yourself by yourself, you overcome this." He knows that as a worker in the factory he is not really treated with respect or valued by his employers. It cannot be easy to look at lifeless, mechanical systems and know that your bosses value these more than they value you. He said that "If the machine breaks down, there's somebody out there to fix it right away. If I break down, I'm just pushed over to the other side till another man takes my place. The only thing they have in their mind is to keep that line running." Stallings knew that he was mistreated at work and he hated the way employers abused him and the other factory workers. He knew that he could get a job somewhere else, but the pay was best where he was. The most surprising part of it all was that although he hated working in the factories, he actually really enjoyed the job itself. He said, "Funny thing is, I don't mind working at body construction. To a great degree, I enjoy it. I love using my hands- more than I do my mind." He knows that he does good work and he tries to find ways to make the best of his situation at the factory. Dolores Dante loved the job that she did. She knew people did not think of it as a very fulfilling job, but she found her own joy in it, and so did Stallings. Even though he hated the way his employers treated him at his job, he found ways to enjoy the job itself and loved that it allowed him to use his skills to accomplish something. Work goes further than just the money you are receiving for it, but it is also about finding a good balance of joy with the work because many jobs are tied into having them for the rest of peoples lives. I know that in my future I want to go into business. Yes, I understand that some of the stuff may be boring and hard with jobs like accounting and other jobs in this area, but I know that these things will pop up in the business world. I very much enjoy all these things in business and understand that I may have to go through some very hard work to eventually reach my full potential of success and complete happiness in my job.
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