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I've come to realize I will never be happy with a job unless it materially helps people. How do I even start facilitating this? (hexbear.net)

submitted 11 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I've worked in SaaS tech my whole life. Been out of a job for a few months now, and while I do have debts to pay that would be much easier with a paycheck from the tech field, I wouldn't be fulfilled with an office job.

The thing is, I'm not even sure what Id want to do yet. I've known my whole life that I was put here to help others, and there are so many causes out there I could work with that would help. So I think figuring that out is probably the very first step.

I'd also need to make above a certain threshold to be able to really function unless/even if I get a roommate (someone is checking my place out this month, so that might happen in January for me). Seems like figuring out what that number is between bills, rent, food, etc would be a good second step.

Beyond that, anyone else here made drastic career changes (I also don't give a shit about having a "career") that worked out for them like this? Would love any advice or tips! Tell me your story!

Thanks all, love you!

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (3 children)

but are the material considerations of systems of exploitation not more pressing? it just seems silly to be talking about subconsciousnesses when everything you said (and i'd tack on the capitalists' control over bourgeois government) is so much more salient

e: but yeah you got me, it isn't inherently marxian or not to talk about psychology shit.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

I agree, they are, but Graeber's the type of dude to prioritize making a playful argument over making a rigorous one. Debt has a whole chapter arguing that Muslim banking is better than European Banking because it obeys Abrahamic usury laws. He then included a footnote basically saying "I know it's still capitalist, I mostly wrote this chapter to troll evangelicals."

Like, he has brilliant insights, but not necessarily brilliant analysis. Take him as a supplement to your theory, not your main meal.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 11 months ago (2 children)

lmao he sounds like a fun read. i might do him eventually but i want a stronger sense of theoretical standards around those subject matters beforehand. i don't want him to be the only one telling me how ancient banking worked

Take him as a supplement to your theory, not your main meal

uhhhhhhhhh yeah can i get a Mao sandwich hold the Deng, with some of those Graeber fries? and some Villa dip on the side please makima-think

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

can i get a Mao sandwich hold the Deng, with some of those Graeber fries

Throw in the Situationist International and Midnight Notes and this is just my politics

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

IME, he's solid on the anthropology, so he can be your guy on ancient baking. Just don't let him be your guy on revolution.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

but are the material considerations of systems of exploitation not more pressing?

It is. We already know that highly exploited employees are often time the backbone of society. What’s more left to say other than bringing up math and statistics in a pop-socioeconomic book?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Dude can write a book that isn't super deep sometimes.