[eastcoastgirl]

Good article. I don’t agree with a lot of it, but it’s funny and there is some truth to it. Before I get down to it, I want to say that I will probably retire from my job next year. I’ve been looking at Steve’s site for about a week. Good stuff. I’m hoping it will help me figure out what I want to do when I retire. I will be free, I mean absolutely free, to do whatever I want for the first time in my life. WOW! It’s scaaary.

Now, here’s perspective from someone who has actually held a job, Steve.

First, my background. Graduated high school. Average student. No motivation or ambition. Would have been happy to let my mother support me for the rest of my life even though we didn’t get along. She, wisely, said, “No way.”

I got a job as a clerk-typist for the government. That was 36 years ago. I eventually got a college degree, partly paid for by the government. I am now fairly well-paid professional. I stuck with the old retirement system, which means that, when I retire, I will get an annuity. That’s in addition to the money I socked away in the government's savings plan (meaning that, while I was out having dinner, I was earning money).

Will I be rich? No. Will I be secure? Yes. Am I sorry I worked all those years for the government? Absolutely not. I am a public servant. I serve the public. I am proud of it.

1. Income for dummies. “Why is getting a job so dumb? Because you only get paid when you’re working.” First, not true. Second, I’m no dummy. When I take leave, I’m getting paid. However, when a self-employed plumber takes a few hours to go to the doctor, he is not getting paid.

2. Limited experience. “You might think it’s important to get a job to gain experience. A job only gives you experience at that job….” Not true. Here’s what I learned on the job: punctuality, the importance of meeting deadlines, dependability, good work ethics, how to manage people and projects, how to multi-task, excellent customer service skills, tact, how to work well with others, and excellent skills in my profession. I really can’t even name them all. My employer has paid for classes for me, and I got paid while I was attending those classes. In addition to all of that, I have had the privilege to work with world-renowned researchers in world-renowned research areas. The most important thing I learned was to care—to care about doing the best job I could do, to care about the people I work with, and to care about the public trust.

3. Lifelong domestication. You’ve got a point on this one.
4. Too many mouths to feed. Taxes. Not really true in my case. Yes, I pay taxes, but I don’t get taxed any more than you do.
5. Way too risky. Not true. It’s very hard to get fired from the government. I know because I’ve had to fire people.
6. Begging for money. Not true in my case.
7. An inbred social life. Not true. Although we are very much like family, we rarely socialize with one another--just like family.
8. Loss of freedom. True on this one.
10. Becoming a coward. Sometimes true. Depends on the people.