Do What You Love?

Confession, I do not particularly love my job.  It pays enough to support the my basic scheme of life and since I do not equate the damage done by too much sitting to the work related risks of other occupations, it is not destroying my body.  It is much better than mining coal or butchering chickens, but I do not love it. 

My consolation is that while it is anonymous and mostly boring and, on a rare occasion, involves bodily fluids, I do think it is "good work."  By that I mean it provides a service to the public.  I think I am good at it, providing care and attention where it is needed.  I want to do the job well, because I know the purpose of the work, because I know what harm could be done if I do not do it well.

I am thankful to see that there is starting to be some pushback against the "do what you love" advice to young career seekers that began sometime in my own adolescence and has, more recently, attained the status of received wisdom from on high.  I agree that such talk is elitist.  It depends upon unseen millions doing other nastier work to support the dream-seekers among us. 

I do not envy anyone their dreams, I still have one or two myself, yet I will not countenance dismissal of those who've got jobs which are dirty and difficult either. Who loves getting up in the morning and going to work butchering and cutting chicken so the suburbs have an endless supply of flash frozen skinless chicken breasts?  If it meant coming to America, however, some might say it is the cost of doing what they love: giving their children opportunity or freedom.

When it is all said and done the advice we should give students and dream-seekers is "moderation in all things."  Gordon Marino hits the nail on the head when he writes,

The faith that my likes and dislikes or our sense of meaning alone should decide what I do is part and parcel with the gospel of self-fulfillment. Philosophy has always been right to instruct that we can be as mistaken about our views on happiness as anything else. The same holds for the related notion of self-fulfillment. Suppose that true self-fulfillment comes in the form of developing into “a mature human being.” This is of course not to claim that we ought to avoid work that we love doing just because we love doing it. That would be absurd. For some, a happy harmony exists or develops in which they find pleasure in using their talents in a responsible, other-oriented way.

Do what you love?  Yes, but maybe part-time, perhaps as a hobby.  You full-time job might be the price you pay in order to live your scheme of life.

If it is your full-time occupation, however, make sure it is of genuine benefit to your fellow man.

Appreciating Working Animals

Dickin Medal winner, "Simon"

Britain gives military medals to animals, and there is a case to be made that America should do the same.

A little on the romantic side for my tastes, but I can't see any harm.

On the other side, there should probably be some recognition of the breeder and trainers who prepared the dog for service.  Currently 85% of our military dogs come from Europe. 

At least we get something out of NATO membership.

I mean, they could have been trying to make a quick buck of peddling genetic freaks to indulgent housewives, but instead they did the hard work of breeding and training for good work.

And that is a lot of work done in service of our fighting men and women and I am keen on any idea that will foster the value of breeding dogs for work.

That is why I love all the dog agility, even though I doubt I'll ever train or own an agility dog.

That is why I love to see people hiking, running, and otherwise living their life with their dog.

That is why I am thrilled to see a renaissance in people using hunting dogs for hunting, even for hunting antlers.

That is why I smile to see dogs being more purposefully bred for companionship and I thrill to see inventive minds finding new work for dogs.  I never would have thought to put them to work identifying high E. coli levels on beaches.

These are the values that will lead us away from supporting breeders who produce genetic freaks, born to suffer for no greater purpose than we can feel good about ourselves through spending inordinate amount of money on veterinary services. 

Your bulldog or pug may be cute, but your aesthetic choice is its suffering.  Listen to it trying to breath.  That was not an accident.  It was not just born that way.  It was made that way.

Your cheap, mass bred German Shepherd, produced by people out for a quick buck or whimsy, rather than the joy of working dogs, may not be able to walk without pain in a few years.  It did not just happen, the prevalence is a result of poor breeding practices.  Human actors are responsible and, if you paid for the dog, you are part of the chain of responsibility.

If you have a dog made broken, care for it the best you can.  Be prepared to put it down humanely when the time arrives.  Afterwards, whatever you do, don't pay a breeder for producing a freak or reward him for irresponsible

A dog bred for work is a dog bred for health.

breeding.  Do your homework before buying a puppy.  Ask for references.  Even if you're not planning on working your dog as such, find a breeder who produces dogs for work.  They are already producing animals for people who've thought ahead about how much they will invest in the dog in the years following purchase and have expectations regarding health.

You can pay early for quality genetics or later for veterinary services.  Which is more humane?  What will improve the stock of animals available to your grand-children?