I had a conversation recently with a friend of mine, and she was venting about how her company is getting on her nerves. They had the audacity to call her in for a mandatory meeting that was held during her off hours, and not pay her for it. (She is currently an hourly employee.) Simply put, she is tired of working for the Man.
Here was my response:
You can't drive the Man's cars, wear the Man's clothes, dine at the Man's restaurants, send text messages on the Man's cell phones...and not pay the Man.
Now, I do believe this...that you don't have to work for the Man in order to pay the Man. You can work for yourself. But that usually requires more courage, discipline, and hard work than what people are currently giving to the Man!
So, brothers and sisters, friends and loved ones, stop complaining about what the man is making you do. Put yourself in a position where the Man can't tell you what to do!
Any advice for my friend?
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9 comments:
I agree with Brian. We take opportunities to work for granted. I dont think your friend realizes that having a job is a privilege. Companies are doing more and more outsourcing to foreign countries, because workers overseas are anxious to work instead of crying over a meeting. we all need to get a grip becasue nobody is guaranteed a source of income. Ask some people who are on the street!
Oh well, its part of working for someone else. I have had to do extra work many times, that i was not compensated for. How about the time I was called in on New Years Day. Working extra hours or attending an extra mtg can happen again and I'm sure it will. Its part of the job. If you really dont like it, do something about it, but know that, having your own is no easier. It may be even harder. Pick your poison.
I guess I could qualify as the Man..because being in that position is no easy peice of cake.
Yes, it has its benefits, but along with the benefits, it also has it downsides..
Being the man and owning your own business comes with many sacrifices, and unless you are a hard worker and is one who likes to continually make sacrifices, then this is not the job for you..
I just wish people would realize that sometimes the grass just *looks* greener on the other side, and that in order for the Man to be on the greener side, he has to work like heck to stay there.
He has overhead, payroll taxes, state and federal, social security taxes, building insurance, liability for the business, workman comp taxes, and the list goes on..
Nothing in life is free. If there is such a thing, then please, please tell me, the Man, where I can find it, so that I too, can go stand in that line..
Life by itself are chances, and unless one is willing to take a chance to pursue a dream, then one shouldnt complain when they are in their 9-5pm ..
What they should do, is to find themselves a job that allows them the flexibility that they so covet and make *themselves* happy..
Peace!
We've all been there at some point and I appreciate her feelings.
However she is in a mode that can easily turn into her making rash decision and not thinking things through, like am I qualified to work some place else and most importantly am I worth something to the business world?
You see in the business world for those that want to learn, we can obtain a lot of things that are promotable in case we would like to venture out on our own but until we have secured the experiences and understanding then I suggest she continue to develop in the position she's in.
Bottom line "it is what it is" and until she is ready to change and take the necessary steps to make change well things will remain the same. I advise her to listen first before being heard. In this case she could lose out in the end and have nothing.
Peace,
Rev B.
We live in America. The land of opportunity. You have a few opportunities...work for the man, BE THE MAN, or find another economic system that works for you. I agree with Lee. You cant enjoy all goodies and not pay the price.
I dont have all the info, but it sounds like our sister wants to enjoy a lifestyle of capitalism, but cry when its time to pay the price.
I hear you.
But why change the game...the man ain't doing nothin' wrong. I could understand if we're talking about slavery or servanthood. But nobody is holding a gun to your head and saying you have to work here. In fact, you don't have to work at all! You just can't be a conformist and bling all the time, and then be a non-conformist when the credit card bill comes.
True that on the contradicting behavior.
Although many aren't in physical bonds, the Jones' got a lot of slaves.
if you really want to get serious about this, Jesus taught that there are two beings that complete for allegiance from men: God and Mammon (wealth/materialism). You either serve one or the other. The interesting this is that Jesus made this statement PRIOR TO the rise of Western capitalism, so REGARDLESS of the economic system in place, man still has a choice to make between serving God, or serving material wealth.
Regardless of whether or not she can move on to something better, it appears that she is also working for an agency/company that either...don't care about breaking laws of employment and hourly wages, or they know that the employee doesn't know or they know the employee will not challenge their position on Unfair labor practices. Sorry, everyone, I have had thousands of cases where an employer refuses to pay overtime. We've taken them to court and of course have always won..Yeah..BUT..then there is the other issues of retaliation. Even though she complains that it is the Man, I took it may also to be a generalized statement. Many good comments shared. As a former female employee who challenged an agency of about 5 managers and won..Yeah. One of the stipulations in the award was....no retalliation, no transfers, no inappropriate performance evaluations, no downsizing me ....first...it went on and on but I can say that prayer did have very much to do with it. If she is able to take an inventory of the pros and cons of her current position and pros and cons to moving on..it may settle the problem or it may present a new one.
Some say that they are more comfortable with the devil they do vs the devil they don't....enjoy
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