Are you proud of what you do?

[danzibr]

Something hit me last night. I was at my son's pre-school graduation, and the teacher announced the students' names, school they're going to, and desired profession. Some kids wanted to do what their moms/dads did, others wanted to be something else, others still wanted to be superheroes and whatnot.

My son said he wanted to be a helicopter pilot, which is cool and all. I happen to be a teacher. In fact, my parents were teachers, and both of my wife's parents were teachers. As a graduate student I taught lower level college classes (from Intermediate Algebra up to Calc 3) for 6 years at a university, and the last 3 I also taught at a community college. Now I teach high school; in fact, today is the last day of my 2nd year. I like my job: I have good students (with whom I enjoy building relationships), pretty small classes (most ~10 students), and the work load isn't bad at all.

But what hit me is... I'm not proud of what I do. I mean, I'm certainly not ashamed of it, and I do indeed like it, but when someone asks me what I do, I'm not like, "I'm a teacher, f--- yeah!"

Anyway. Maybe most jobs are like this. Not proud, not ashamed, just do your job, pay the bills. Or maybe most jobs are miserable. I don't have *that* much work experience, maybe 10 jobs total, ever.

And you?

[Spanish_Paladin]

Nope. I am not a cop nor a writer

[Winter_Wolf]

Hindsight allows me to say that I've never been proud of a job, but I've been proud of some things I've accomplished at a job, or grateful for learning a skill which I wouldn't otherwise have. Different things, but gotta take the good where you can. My pride in my work comes from the part where if I'm going to do something at all, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability, which often exceeds my enthusiasm (enthusism is generally a really low bar for almost all the jobs I've had).

I don't know any teachers who are all pumped that they're teaching. My family has several current and retired, my best friend is one, I've even taught (briefly). None have been proud of being a teacher, but they've been proud of the work they've accomplished with some of their students. Not sure whether that's the same/close enough.

[AdmiralCheez]

The two biggest portions of my day job are copy editing owner's manuals and conducting Quality Assurance audits, so no, I can't say I'm too excited and proud of generating criticism.

My side projects in film, writing, and photography, on the other hand, are where I take pride.

[2D8HP]

Despite my wife's insistence that I be more vague when people ask what "I do" as she finds it shameful (she is a college graduate from a middle class background), I am proud because of the utility of my work.
I repair plumbing fixtures in government buildings, sometimes the staff facilities (which I most enjoy, because I often hear "thank you"), sometimes in the public use areas, but most often in the jail. And I sometimes also get thanked by the guard or inmates.
No I don't enjoy the work itself (dirty, painful etc.), but I prefer it to what I last did, which was construction, where I never saw the end users, and I often questioned the purpose of what we were doing (such as tearing down a perfectly useful restroom, just to rebuild one a few feet away in order to build a bigger office for some spoiled executive). Before that I worked retail sales, which I detested because the owner wanted us to lie to the customers, plus hours having people man cash registers seems a waste of human labor (they could be building homes, or healing the sick instead of putting pieces of paper in and out of a box).
Make no mistake blue collar work is unpleasant and dangerous (I've known men crippled and one killed because of their jobs), but it is often less soul destroying than white collar work. I recommend the book "Shop Class as Soulcraft" by Matthew Crawford that explores the subject.
In terms of how proud, it makes me, in my experience blue collar government works makes me the most proud, but is the hardest to do, and white collar private industry work while much easier physically, and often thought of as "higher status", has made me feel the most ashamed.

[blunk]

I help middle-class people (rich by world standards) buy photo crap they don't need. No, I'm not proud of it.

Honestly, I think if it's not providing comfort to those who are most uncomfortable, it's probably not worth doing.

I repair plumbing fixtures ... most often in the jail.

Even though it's far too easy for sit-on-my-butt workers like myself to say (I'm reminded of this), this is what I'm talking about.

white collar private industry work ... has made me feel the most ashamed.

You get it. Sorry much of society doesn't.

[Velaryon]

What I do doesn't change the world by any means, but I like my job (most of the time) and I do make a positive difference, however small, in the lives of the people I help at my two library jobs. And more importantly, I worked my ass off to get to where I'm at now. So yeah, I'm proud to do what I do, although I also know I'm not as far along as I want to be.

[Flickerdart]

I'm actively making the world a worse place to live for most of you (unless you happen to do a job that can't be done by robots). Whoops!

[Crow]

I'm proud of the company I built. I'm proud of jobs I've done in the past. My job right now though...

I am most certainly not proud of my blue collar job with mostly white collar duties that I do to pay down the bonded labor contract I call a mortgage, and the oppressive child support made neccessary by this job (also the reason I can't fully utilize what my business does for me); which due to unpredictable and excessive hours squashed any chance of me getting custody of my child. I am not proud to be enriching an industry that despite gross inefficiency and waste continues to make massive profit from their government-enforced monopoly. I am not proud to work for a company that is happy to talk about how "green" they are when reporters are around, but actively harm the environment when they're not.

I don't think it's a matter of white collar jobs crushing the spirit by themselves. It's the megalithic corporations creating those jobs that are crushing spirits.

[2D8HP]

I'm proud of the company I built. I'm proud of jobs I've done in the past. My job right now though...
-snip-
It's the megalithic corporations creating those jobs that are crushing spirits.

Interesting. When I worked for private industry, mostly in construction, many of the foremen had previously been self employed.
Also I noticed that when the shop was small and the owner was actively involved, it was usually a much better place to work at, instead of how it was to work for big companies. But the very worst places to work at were also small with active owners.
Has that been your experience?

[Lethologica]

I'm not proud of what I do, but that's more because I'm a terrible worker than because of the nature of my (white-collar) job.

[Jon_Dahl]

I'm happy with my life, I'd avoid the word "proud". My life could be a bit more exciting, but I have my duties to fulfill.

Edit: I decided to explain a bit more.
I used to work with IT. Complete waste of time from my perspective. Everything changes so fast that anything you do will be worthless or old-fashioned in a few years. It always felt like an endless battle against windmills. Now that I decided to quit working and began study, I feel happier with my life. The only problem with studying is that I suddenly have too much time on my hands. I feel frustrated that we spend so little time studying. I think it's extremely stupid, but apparently it's like that so that people can study and work at the same time. Nevertheless this 'job' that I have, being a student, doesn't make me that proud because we study too little.

[veti]

I'm proud of what I do.

What I do is manage a small team, within a company that sells electricity, whose job it is to make sure that our customers are billed correctly, and our suppliers can bill us correctly. It's not glamorous. But it is important.

Because without correct information, people will never be able to make the right decisions on how to use the limited supply of energy we all have to share. I'm proud of the fact that, every month, well over 90% of our customers are billed on what they actually consumed - not one dollar too much or too little. I'm proud of the fact that I, personally, submit accurate information to the market, every month, on the right day, to allow us to be billed correctly. (Which is way harder than you might think.) I'm proud of the fact that we offer competitive rates to some of the poorer demographics in my city. I'm proud of the fact that we've never had to disconnect anyone for debt.

"Climate change" isn't some monster, that a superhero can fell with a punch in the face. And it's not going to be stopped by some miraculous breakthrough. The only way we're ever going to save the planet is one light bulb at a time, every day - and I give people the information they need to fight that battle.

And I think more people should think of their jobs in this light. Our culture of "heroes" teaches us that "real, important changes are brought about by exceptional people doing amazing things", but that's just not true. Even when it does happen - which is rare - it takes tens of thousands of anonymous people, doing dull jobs like mine, day in and day out, to create the environment in which the "hero" can do what s/he does. But most of the time there is no hero, there's just - us, and we have to manage for ourselves.

The lesson of human history is that when we all do our jobs as best we can, when we can trust one another - we can accomplish more than Superman ever could. Even if he were real.

[Alent]

Not really, most of the time anyway.

I fix computers for people, which is not without its moments but generally leaves me feeling extremely disappointed in humanity. I would really like to have a job that has actual results I can point to and go "I built that" and not feel like I was just playing with someone else's legos all the time.

I have a moderate case of impostor syndrome, so feeling pride in stuff is kind of hard for me, anyway.

[TechnOkami]

Frankly? No, I'm not. I work in the retail industry, specifically as a meat/seafood clerk for my local grocery (Safeway).

Oh god oh god I want to get the nine hells away from it, and I'm working on that. I've very, very recently started streaming what I can on Twitch, and hopefully that goes somewhere. Regardless I've always enjoyed the idea of playing video games to an audience even when I was little, so you could say these are the steps to a childhood dream coming true.

Other than that, I'm looking into getting a new job, because f@ck Safeway.

I'm going to start working on a cover letter and tuning my resume to send off to my local game store (table top centered, not Gamestop), and see if that takes me anywhere. I hope it does.

[Grinner]

The lesson of human history is that when we all do our jobs as best we can, when we can trust one another - we can accomplish more than Superman ever could. Even if he were real.

I like the cut of this guy's jib.

I'm happy with my life, I'd avoid the word "proud". My life could be a bit more exciting, but I have my duties to fulfill.

Edit: I decided to explain a bit more.
I used to work with IT. Complete waste of time from my perspective. Everything changes so fast that anything you do will be worthless or old-fashioned in a few years. It always felt like an endless battle against windmills. Now that I decided to quit working and began study, I feel happier with my life. The only problem with studying is that I suddenly have too much time on my hands. I feel frustrated that we spend so little time studying. I think it's extremely stupid, but apparently it's like that so that people can study and work at the same time. Nevertheless this 'job' that I have, being a student, doesn't make me that proud because we study too little.

I'm in a similar position. You know what I do with the extra time? I study.

I spent weeks browsing the library between classes, found a subject I really like, and have been independently studying that for the past few years. And I have learned so much cool stuff. Will my studies bear fruit? I sure hope so, but even if I don't use that knowledge directly in future employment, I'm more versatile with it than without it.

[The Succubus]

I...have a complicated relationship with the work I do. And not a positive one.

[Jon_Dahl]

I'm in a similar position. You know what I do with the extra time? I study.

I spent weeks browsing the library between classes, found a subject I really like, and have been independently studying that for the past few years. And I have learned so much cool stuff. Will my studies bear fruit? I sure hope so, but even if I don't use that knowledge directly in future employment, I'm more versatile with it than without it.

I should follow your example. Thank you for giving it.

[themaque]

I'm proud of past military service. I wasn't thrilled with much of the actual work, and there was a lot of BS, But I am proud of what I did and who I worked with in the end.

I'm proud of the work I do at my job if not the entirety of the job itself. I'm proud to say I leave it a better place than I find it.

The job itself is a job. Blue Collar Chemical Industry. So I make sure I do it in a way I can be proud of. Company is pretty good. Not Perfect but not outright evil either. Just people trying to get by.

I've actively been trying to improve my standing to get a soul crushing office job. I can't do this when I'm 60. I've seen people try.

In the end I believe it's important to be proud of HOW you work even if it not what or who you do it for.

Frankly? No, I'm not. I work in the retail industry, specifically as a meat/seafood clerk for my local grocery (Safeway).

-snip-

Other than that, I'm looking into getting a new job, because f@ck Safeway.

My wife is a Seafood manager for H.E.B. and she's actually proud of what she does if not everyone she works with. A well run seafood department really seems to be the roughest part of the store.

Hopefully you can get somewhere better.

[Jerry]

I'm a night watch security guard for a private warehouse. It's not what I went to school for and it's sure as hell not what I saw myself doing after college, but I'm about to move out on my own for the first time and that is something I'm proud of.

[Fishybugs]

I'm an ER nurse. It's been some of the best and worst moments in my life. I've helped to resuscitate people who survive and live a fruitful life, and we've attempted resuscitation of people who would truly be better off just passing away. I've helped bring new life into the world and sat with someone while they exited from it. I've been kicked, spat and peed on, punched, and vomited on. Yeah, I'm proud of what I do. It's thankless. It's a physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining occupation, but I've loved every minute of it.

[qechua]

Am I proud? Mostly.

I'm proud of what we do (I can't say the actual name because legal reasons, but it's a major UK weather forecasting and climate research organisation ) because we inform decisions that save lives (of all races, genders, religions etc.) on a daily basis, as well as look into the short, medium and long term effects of climate change and how best to try to tackle the problem.

I'm proud of the individual work I do, because we're leading the way for the entire IT department with changing how build and organise systems to be much more maintainable and easier to manage.

I'm not proud of some peoples reaction to us, as if we're some kind of business set up entirely to lie and inconvenience everyone as often as possible (the fact that some of those people are "friends" is even worse), to the point that sometimes when people ask me what I do, I'll simply say "Civil Servant" and let people presume I'm a jobs-worth in a council.

I'm not proud of how the government treats us, and how as an organisation we're apparently willing to accept it, but that starts straying a little too close to politics, so I'm not going to expand/follow up on that one.

"Climate change" isn't some monster, that a superhero can fell with a punch in the face. And it's not going to be stopped by some miraculous breakthrough. The only way we're ever going to save the planet is one light bulb at a time, every day.

I genuinely considering having this made into a sign for the next time I'm given the "Climate change isn't my problem" speech.

[AMFV]

I always am, because the key isn't finding a job that you're proud to do. The key is finding reasons to be proud of your own work. If you aren't doing something that you think of as all that meaningful, then you can be proud of doing your work well, of helping your co-workers, that's where pride in employment should really come from.

[xyz]

{ scrubbed }

[AMFV]

{ scrubbed }

That you do that well. If you're just posting on web-forums, then what you have to be proud of, is contributing to the discussion, or crafting amusing posts. In every kind of craft there's a source for pride and value.

[xyz]

That you do that well. If you're just posting on web-forums, then what you have to be proud of, is contributing to the discussion, or crafting amusing posts. In every kind of craft there's a source for pride and value.

oh gosh stop youre makin me blush ;-;

[drack]

Despite my wife's insistence that I be more vague when people ask what "I do" as she finds it shameful (she is a college graduate from a middle class background), I am proud because of the utility of my work.

Hey man, if it's work that needs to be done, I certainly see no shame in it. I've criticized a few people in my day for suggesting there is.

I'm actively making the world a worse place to live for most of you (unless you happen to do a job that can't be done by robots). Whoops!

Lolz. Ay mate, but by increasing productivity you're freeing up labor for other jobs thus meaning we need work less to enjoy the same standard of living, or work the same to enjoy a better one. Look at how the media industry has taken off. Look at how many scientists around the world are free to research new innovation.

Anywho, pride doesn't generally enter into the equation for me. If it's work that needs doing, it's worth my time and gets me by, so no problem. If it's not worth doing then I might question why the job exists, but clearly someone thinks it's worth doing right?

Still, once upon a time I worked in a factory produced poison for human consumption, and everyone I knew of drinking age told me it was a really cool job, or their dream job or the like. Likewise an acquaintance almost got a job researching space dust (and how it flows, lots of research into how granular substances flow) at NASA in the US, and we all thought that was pretty cool, and the person certainly looked to be swelling with pride. I suppose often we take more pride in our job when it snares the admiration of others. That or doing it well, though those may be different sorts of pride...

[SaintRidley]

I get paid to work with language. I read and study medieval literature, medieval translation practices, and I translate from languages that don't often get translated into English. I'm extremely proud of what I do, because I absolutely love what I do.

[Giggling Ghast]

Yes and no. I like aspects of the work and some of the things I've accomplished, but I don't love the work, which is why I'll never be more than mediocre at it. It's a profession that demands passion. I'd leave if I knew what else to do.

[Vizzerdrix]

Nope, but not realy ashamed of it either. Over12 years working back room and doing overnight stocking for a very large retail store. Been there long enough that I can live off of part time so long as I dont want anything expensive. Is good enough for me, and not too bad for someone who barely graduated highschool.