Geoffrey Owens is speaking out after a photograph surfaced showing him working at a grocery store in what many perceived as an attempt to shame him for his job. Article Here.
I know the feeling.
Not too many years ago, I was an up and coming sales rep for a large company. My highest point (even literally) was hosting several business owners on a flight from the Boston area to the Midwest, in a corporate jet that had all the luxuries one could imagine. We were on a one day trip to see the world class factory that manufactured the equipment I sold to these businessmen. I sealed the deal, as I usually did, and made the “President’s Club” by adding this to my year’s sales totals. In truth, I did not like that job. The pressure was ever-present. The back stabbing in the company was relentless. A smile from a co-worker was never to be trusted. However, on the surface, I was living the dream.
In my early 50’s, I was cut from the sales division. Too many younger up and coming kids were up for grabs and willing to work for smaller commissions. I transferred to the service department and even then, in my early 60’s I was cut again. No doubt someone 20 years younger willing to take 20 grand less was taking my place.
The bright spot came next. I found a job at a grocery store. I started part time and eventually went to full time because I liked it so much. This company was 180 degrees from my previous one. Employees all supported each other and the owners supported everyone. It’s been almost three years and I love it there.
But there are those who look at me differently now. I’m just a grocery clerk. I should set my sites higher. Above all, I should not be paid a sustainable wage, because my job does not require a college degree and “it’s meant for kids in high school”. If I want a sustainable wage, respect, dignity from my fellow citizens (many of whom are Democrats), I need to “better myself”, get a degree and apply myself my career.
Nope, I’m tired of taking that crap.
I like my job. I do well at it. YOU need me to do this job and you really ought to respect me, thank me, and never look down on me or Geoffrey Owens or ANYONE who is working . We all deserve a sustainable wage and all that goes with it, including respect.
Market Basket by any chance? I don’t know why someone downrated this diary.
No, not Market Basket, but a spouse of a friend of mine works there and from what I gather, he is treated fairy and likes it there. He used to be an engineer for Raytheon but like so many of us, got old and expensive and was probably replaced by a younger less costly person.
Why did someone down vote this? Same reason so many Democrats job shame so many who are lacking a college degree. Arrogance? Lack of empathy? Quilt? Not really sure why. Probably lots of assorted reasons.
Back to my personal diary…..when I was a young man, I sold cars, lots of cars. There was a year when I made a hell of a lot of money, more than an (Democrat) acquaintance who is an attorney and more than another who was a teacher. Both were outraged that I made so much money “at a job that does not require a degree!”….and felt that they were being underpaid in comparison.
I recall the teacher remarking that “You made twice as much as I did and I have a masters!”……
I respect everyone who is working, at least they’re contributing. My problem comes with your just wanting to be content. I started sweeping floors in a factory and saw the guys running machines made more money (they worked harder). I started to run a machine. If there was overtime I grabbed it and made more. Then I saw the guys who supervised the guys who ran the machines made even more, went to night school and took on the more stressful job of supervision.
So I could have stayed sweeping the floor, hell of a lot easier on my back and stress level. Should I then expect the government to help pay for a place to live (affordable housing), and where should that be? I never really wanted to live in Boston (too crowded) but would I have a waterfront lake house or just a house with a view of the lake?
Would I drive a Corolla or a Lexus and how much help should I have with my transportation budget.
When I vacation do I go to Scarbourough or Aruba? Do I play the penny or the quarter slots.
Years ago I lost money buying Enron stock, my risk, my gamble that time it didn’t work out, other times it has.
So how would you differentiate those willing to work more than 40 hours, willing to do more difficult jobs than sweeping. I just had some treework done and a guy climbed 80 feet up the tree with a chainsaw and took it down piece by piece. You couldn’t have paid me enough. There are people willing to do it though and I had a couple bids to choose from.
(I didn’t downrate your post)
So happiness does not fit into your equation of life’s goals?
You just “job shamed” those who sweep floors. All floors need to be swept. Someone has to clean up after those who are too busy or important to clean up after themselves.
PS, we need to re-think this “40 Hour” rule.
Nobody is asking the government to pay for the luxuries you mention, but basic needs should be covered regardless of employment status.
I downrated the post, because of this paragraph (emphasis mine):
This narrative is your own. It comes from no other source here at BMG, nor from any local or national Democrat.
We’ve already gone around this so many times that I chose to downrate the diary rather than launch yet another rehash of this canard.
I’m not sure that you do. Geoffrey Owens is an actor, a career that is alternately renowned and condemned for its itinerancy. If Geoffrey Owens was offered an acting gig, he’d surely take it: that is to say, clearly, he would not turn it down in favor of the gig at Trader Joe’s. That he doesn’t turn down the Trader Joes gig when he needs to speaks to his character and work ethic and not the job, per se. And it may be exactly because of this preference that a person of his intelligence and education is not running the Trader Joes: he simply has not applied himself to the skills necessary to do that, rather choosing to be an actor and concentrate his efforts in that regard. Clearly he has a preference and his present circumstances is due to lack of opportunity and not pride of place.
You, on the other hand, have decided to eschew other gigs and have found meaning in being where you are. I do respect that. I think that’s noble. I don’t, however, think your situation and that of Geoffrey Owens are all that analogous.
I think your mistake is in the assumption that both your experiences are typical: that all ‘white collar’ jobs are stressful and involve backstabbing and all blue collar jobs are convivial and meaningful. I work in an office presently — with other college graduates — that can fit into your descriptive “Employees all support each other and the owners support everyone.” I don’t see why you feel the need to take down college graduates (and the jobs they do) to make yourself feel better