It's been an interesting week at the new job, one filled with a healthy mix of chaos, confusion, and excitement. I've quickly realized just how uneventful the past 19 months really were. That was the problem, ultimately. Things were just too boring. It's good to be back in an environment where's there's uncertainty, risk, and opportunity.
I've come to realize that, as much as I can complain about it, I like work. I like making a contribution. I like belonging to a group that's focused on a common objective. I have a hard time imagining a life without work. It's where I get a lot of my personal fulfillment. That's why I was so struck today by the news story I saw while eating my breakfast this morning. The story was about Occupy Wall Street. The reporter was at one of the camps (I'm not even sure which city it was) interviewing a scruffy young guy who appeared to be about 20-25 years old. The young guy defiantly looked into the camera and announced that he refused to get a job until the government institutes a livable minimum wage. I almost choked on my Cheerios.
Can someone out there explain this guy's rationale to me? I've spent all day trying to figure it out and I just can't do it. I get that the minimum wage is not sufficient to achieve a reasonable standard of living. I get that this guy is upset about that. But, deciding to refuse to work -- at any job -- until it's raised? Really? That's the answer? What about obtaining a skill that allows you to get a job that pays more than the minimum wage and then spending your "protest" time teaching that skill to others? How about aspiring to start a business in an industry that typically hires employees at the minimum wage but committing to pay your employees at above-market wages? What's the matter? Do you think it would be too hard to develop a consumer market for that?
Anyway, I've got to go. I'm organizing Nick and Jay to join me on a hunger strike. We're refusing to eat until we start getting served filet mignon every night. I wonder how long that will last?
