Posts Tagged ‘work’

Work Is of Two Kinds

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

child-food-vendors.jpeg
(photo credit: Wonderlane)

Work is of two kinds: first, altering the position of matter at or near the earth’s surface relatively to other such matter; second, telling other people to do so. The first kind is unpleasant and ill paid; the second is pleasant and highly paid.

- Bertrand Russel, “In Praise of Idleness”

We all have to work. Even if we don’t have to work, we have to pretend to work (see, for example, the idle heiress halfheartedly designing handbags and “building her brand”).

So if we need to work, why not be as thoughtful as possible about it? First of all, do you agree with Bertrand’s categories of work? Can you be highly paid and unhappy? Can you be happy taking orders from someone else?

What kind of work would make YOU feel best about the way you spend your days and feed your family? What kind would help you achieve your life goals? Is it the same work?

White Collar is…

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

White collar is a term used to describe a particular kind of job. Basically any work that’s not manual labor (i.e. work that’s harder on the brain than on the body) can be described as a “white collar” occupation.

Think research analysts, administrative assistants, and nurses, versus the local plumber or a high school janitor. (Those would be considered blue or pink collar occupations.)

The Invisible Economy

Friday, March 11th, 2011

woman-sweeping.jpeg
(photo credit: mi55er)

How much is an hour of bathroom cleaning worth? What about 24 hours of child care? How much would you be paid to do these things in another person’s home?

How about in your own home?

According to a new international study, the “unpaid economy” - jobs like food shopping, washing up, and getting the kids to bed – would represent about a third of a nation’s total economy if it were paid.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development looked for signs of gender equality in this unpaid work, which was traditionally done only by women.

They found that even though men have come a long way toward helping out with these tasks, they’re still not likely to spend as much time on them as women do… even if they’re unemployed.

Bring THAT to your next macroeconomics class.

The Working Women of Pakistan

Monday, December 27th, 2010

In Pakistan, women are beginning to leave the confines of their homes to enter the labor force for the first time. You can meet some of them and hear their stories by clicking play.

Unfortunately, it’s not all progress and economic prosperity – Pakistan has an entrenched culture of male dominance that says women shouldn’t be seen OR heard. Women who work in public are routinely harassed and even beaten up by their male family members and strangers.

But how awesome would it be if Pakistan opened up its economy to the other half of the population? Talk about doubling your productivity and improving millions of lives.

How can you help? Try donating to organizations that promote education for girls, or get involved in microfinance projects that focus on giving female entrepreneurs a chance.

Motivating Children Of Wealthy Families To Work

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

Affluent parents struggle to maintain a balance between helping their children financially and teaching them how to become self-sufficient.

  • While parents mean well by providing financial help, they may be hampering their child’s productivity and preventing them from learning the value of work.
  • Affluent or not, parents are concerned how to raise productive children. Setting financial limits and sticking to them can help ensure that their children don’t depend on what they see as an endless supply of money.
  • Banks like Gibraltar and J.P. Morgan have begun to offer classes and seminars focusing on understanding and managing finances and preparing for the future.

Best Quote

“You have to help a kid understand what it means out there. You can’t expect kids to go out in the world and be self-sufficient if they don’t know what a utility bill is.” – Joline Godfrey, Chief Executive of Independent Means