Quick Question but Important
Mar 3 2007
Hey all, my first post but I have read stuff on libcom for a while.
Hey if possible I would like some feedback from fellow Anarchists on a moral dilema I am facing. I have been wrecking my brain and can not for the life of me figure it out.
Really quickly, a distant friend of my uncle is some advertising guy who works in a big ad company. No holds bar upper middle to upper class evil advertising empire shit. I have recently moved to a new city and am completely broke, long story but I have been trying to even get enough money to get a cellphone so that I can apply for jobs.
I hear that this guy needs some menial help around the place, everything from running papers and info from building to building to taking out trash and organziing. It is only for a couple of weeks but the pay is 20 dlrs and hour.
I can not decide, do I hold out work yet another minimum wage job or do this for a while? Should I take out mimum wage and give the rest away? Should I not take the job at all?
Sorry to involve you all in this, but I would love some help. My friends all say go ahead, but I think they are just trying to make me feel better when in truth I could very well be entering the dark underbelly of the middle class.
Mar 3 2007
#2
yeah take the job mate, no moral dilemma at all. i mean if it isn't something where you have to directly attack other workers (like being a cop or a boss of some description), take what money you can get, we've all got bills to pay.
Mar 3 2007
#3
yeah, definitely. Unless it makes you physically unhappy being in there, go for it. Don't feel any need to give the surplus above minimum wage away - that'd only mean you'll be more desperate to get some other sucky job sooner, which would help no one.
Most of the world's population work for some sucky company or other - and that doesn't make them bad, it just means that that's how's society's set up. Such that people have to work for sucky companies; just like the position you're in now. You shouldn't even feel that you're doing something wrong if it turns out that this job becomes permanent and it's the best you can do for you.
I think hard experience has taught most folks on these boards the same thing: leave your guilt at the door to politics; change will principally come through organised collective action, not these sorts of choices.
You may learn some interesting things about how corporate PR works as well - could be useful to you. and your comrades!
Good luck in the new city!
Mar 4 2007
#4
Refused wrote:
I don't see what the problem is, unless this company advertises the eating of babies.
Lefty moralist.
Mar 4 2007
#5
War@ndPeace wrote:
Hey all, my first post but I have read stuff on libcom for a while.Hey if possible I would like some feedback from fellow Anarchists on a moral dilema I am facing. I have been wrecking my brain and can not for the life of me figure it out.
Really quickly, a distant friend of my uncle is some advertising guy who works in a big ad company. No holds bar upper middle to upper class evil advertising empire shit. I have recently moved to a new city and am completely broke, long story but I have been trying to even get enough money to get a cellphone so that I can apply for jobs.
I hear that this guy needs some menial help around the place, everything from running papers and info from building to building to taking out trash and organziing. It is only for a couple of weeks but the pay is 20 dlrs and hour.
I can not decide, do I hold out work yet another minimum wage job or do this for a while? Should I take out mimum wage and give the rest away? Should I not take the job at all?
Sorry to involve you all in this, but I would love some help. My friends all say go ahead, but I think they are just trying to make me feel better when in truth I could very well be entering the dark underbelly of the middle class.
20 an hour for that? Where do I sign up?
Seriously, it's no big deal.
Mar 4 2007
#6
Locustinferno wrote:
War@ndPeace wrote:
Hey all, my first post but I have read stuff on libcom for a while.Hey if possible I would like some feedback from fellow Anarchists on a moral dilema I am facing. I have been wrecking my brain and can not for the life of me figure it out.
Really quickly, a distant friend of my uncle is some advertising guy who works in a big ad company. No holds bar upper middle to upper class evil advertising empire shit. I have recently moved to a new city and am completely broke, long story but I have been trying to even get enough money to get a cellphone so that I can apply for jobs.
I hear that this guy needs some menial help around the place, everything from running papers and info from building to building to taking out trash and organziing. It is only for a couple of weeks but the pay is 20 dlrs and hour.
I can not decide, do I hold out work yet another minimum wage job or do this for a while? Should I take out mimum wage and give the rest away? Should I not take the job at all?
Sorry to involve you all in this, but I would love some help. My friends all say go ahead, but I think they are just trying to make me feel better when in truth I could very well be entering the dark underbelly of the middle class.
20 an hour for that? Where do I sign up?
Seriously, it's no big deal.
20 an hour in what country? 20 an hour in canada is less than a welfare check in the U.S. I don't know brit exchange rates.
Mar 4 2007
#7
Yeah no dilemma there, you're not being a cop, a manager, soldier or a prison guard so take it.
Mar 4 2007
#8
you cant boycott capitalsim 
. take the job 
Mar 4 2007
#9
It's all about eating babies or building the walls of your own prison on one level or another! You got to eat man! Do the job, just don't do anymore than the minimun to get by & don't put your heart and soul on the line. Small rebellions, small rebellions.... for now.
Mar 4 2007
#10
Blacknred Ned wrote:
You got to eat man!
note the lack of comma between "eat" and "man"... !
Mar 4 2007
#11
Shit! You've discovered my terrible secret! Well of course I do mean eat the rich man! 
Mar 4 2007
#12
Blacknred Ned wrote:
It's all about eating babies...
Evil bastard! 
Mar 4 2007
#13
Find me a job that isn't linked to the system that kills babies to make the rich fat. It's all a question of degree. Oh, and don't call me an evil bastard unless you're going to follow it with a jokey smiley!
Mar 4 2007
#14
Personally I think s/he should work for Fluffy Happy Anarchist Company like the rest of us. Apart from Belfast, who's all about get laid quick schemes.
Mar 4 2007
#15
Blacknred Ned wrote:
Find me a job that isn't linked to the system that kills babies to make the rich fat.I
Air Guitar Champion. 
Mar 4 2007
#16
Mar 4 2007
#17
Refused wrote:
Quote:
Air Guitar Champion.
There have to be lots of very destructive accessories for air guitar champions, hairspray for example! Bastards!
Mar 5 2007
#18
John. wrote:
Yeah no dilemma there, you're not being a cop, a manager, soldier or a prison guard so take it.
I'd agree with this, but I'm curious as to how far people would take it.
For instance, would anybody here have any objections to working a temporary job which was solely geared towards helping build the National Identity Register?
Mar 5 2007
#19
Quote:
Apart from Belfast, who's all about get laid quick schemes.
bullshit, it's the long drawn out chase that interests me, hence my infatuations with lesbians! The infinite delay of the desired!
Mar 5 2007
#20
madashell wrote:
For instance, would anybody here have any objections to working a temporary job which was solely geared towards helping build the National Identity Register?
I wouldn't, especially as you could do a pretty shit job of it 
Mar 5 2007
#21
John. wrote:
I wouldn't, especially as you could do a pretty shit job of it ;)
what ex lesbians have you been talking to?
Mar 5 2007
#22
whoops that was in reply to madashell. now edited
Mar 5 2007
#23
John. wrote:
whoops that was in reply to madashell. now edited
i knew that i was just messing around.
Mar 6 2007
#24
I ended up taking it just because I do in fact need a job, but I already spoke to the local community center and anarchist groups and am going to divide up the money I dont need to live up amongst them. I guess it is ok, it helps that the other workers doing the messenger stuff are cool working class guys and not stupid. Also it keeps me outside and the like....thanks for the insight.
Mar 6 2007
#25
War@ndPeace wrote:
I ended up taking it just because I do in fact need a job, but I already spoke to the local community center and anarchist groups and am going to divide up the money I dont need to live up amongst them.
dear god......
Mar 6 2007
#26
War@ndPeace wrote:
... I already spoke to the local community center and anarchist groups and am going to divide up the money I dont need to live up amongst them.
Hey, if you're just pissing money away I'll take your spare cash.
Mar 6 2007
#27
War@ndPeace wrote:
I ended up taking it just because I do in fact need a job, but I already spoke to the local community center and anarchist groups and am going to divide up the money I dont need to live up amongst them. I guess it is ok, it helps that the other workers doing the messenger stuff are cool working class guys and not stupid. Also it keeps me outside and the like....thanks for the insight.
Seriously - why not just keep the money? Why would you force yourself to live in minimum wage?
Mar 6 2007
#28
Yeah War and Peace could you pay my share of the gas bill? I'm running a cumulative debt to certain people here due to lack of funds and my blacklisting from my student union bar job. 
Mar 6 2007
#29
rkn wrote:
Seriously - why not just keep the money? Why would you force yourself to live in minimum wage?
Hey, shut up, will you? I need a new laptop.
Mar 7 2007
#30
Well here is the thing. Every single job I have had for the last six years has been min wage, so I get how shit it is. And whether I like it or not I can not sleep at night knowing that people are getting shat upon while I have money I could give away. The money is from the middle class, sure my job is working class-ish, but the wealth is still stolen, and I am not even that sure that in this situation I am that much of a factor in the creation of the wealth of this company. I literally think it is just stupid corporate shit to pay us to run around the city.
So I am just giving it away. Not willy nilly, but to people who need it or to groups who will perpetuate class war politics with it. I personally try not to buy anything. I dumpster food as much as possible, I only read from libraries, dont watch TV, dont buy clothes for more than a few dollars but usually I trade, hitchike instead of driving etc etc, so there is no reason for me to have the money. The one compromise I made is to spend money on revolutinary endeavors like guns and martial arts lessons and helmets and other stuff that is hard to obtain for free.
I am glad people here dont think I am a shit for taking the job, because it gives me lots of exercise and I like it, but I would not keep it if I felt it made me complicit with the ruling class.
Peace and War
I don't see what the problem is, unless this company advertises the eating of babies. Take the money and run, mate.