Opinion Page
home > weblog > 2005 > april > blog040405.php
Do you work too much? We all think that we do. How much constitutes too much? Where do you draw the line?
We all say it. We all wish we worked less. So, what measurement do you use to say "this is enough, and more than this is too much"?
Well, if you're a professional, the answer is probably 50 or 60 hours a week. After all, if you don't put in a good week, you won't reap the rewards of your work. That's why you only take a week of two of vacation a year.
If you're an hourly worker, 40 hours is more than enough. Your employer is lucky you show up for that. After all, you're not being paid what you're worth, even though you get paid whether or not you're actually working. And don't forget all of those lovely holidays you want to be paid not to work. And don't leave any sick time unused! That's unscheduled holiday time!
If you're a union worker, 25 to 30 hours a week is too much! How can you turn out "quality" when you're forced to show up, drink coffee, talk to your friends, and even do some work occasionally? After all, those machines don't run themselves! Thank God you have all of those important holidays, like "Labor Day", where you do nothing. What a great way to symbolize your hard work than a vacation day.
If you're a politician, 15 to 20 hours a week is often enough. Well, for the few weeks out of the year when you actually are doing work. There's not much time for work, in between Lobbyist-paid meals, Lobbyist-paid trips, and public-paid vacations, I mean trips. There's barely any time to get your free healthcare, or register your free vehicles, or fill out expense reports to get paid for the same meals that the rest of us pay for ourselves. Politicians barely have any time these days to foster children out of wedlock. Isn't that right, Senator Ford?
But, if those schedules are too rigorous, you can always work in academia. Six hours of classes a week, eight months a year. And every seventh year you get TEN MONTHS of vacation, paid of course. However can you find the time to watch Fahrenheit 911? You barely have enough time to squeeze anti-American rhetoric in the students' heads with the limited interface that you have. After all, it's not like you're paid to teach the students things that will help them in the REAL world. And when you factor in the plagiarism, you barely have time to squeeze some Chomsky in their fragile minds.
Where do you fit in?
Previous
day's rant
If you have ideas, comments, or criticisms, tell me about it.