Used to be those times when people in general did good work. In fact, it was all this good work that made America a nation, had us at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, got us through a global depression, a civil war, TWO world wars, and numerous other conflicts in our relatively short lifepan as a nation. Yet here we are today, apparently struggling in the global market. No matter where you turn you're finding more evidence of a lack of pride, generally-speaking. Things that used to "last forever" are being made so that they wear out even before the warranty expires.
We have shoddy workmanship with little or no regard as to who might be buying it.
Leo Morris had a quaint post the other day regarding what is the "best" day of the week when it comes to things being manufactured.The rule of thumb is TUESDAY is the "best" day. But why shouldn't EVERY day be just as good?
Must be the lack of PRIDE.
Back "in the day", we had multitudes of CRAFTSMEN who made anything and everything we could want or need. From furniture, to machines, to clothing, and even the buildings that dot our cityscapes. From the most menial electrician all the way up to the engineers and architects, and back again...no job was seemingly "beneath" those who had a sense of pride. And in many cases, the pay was so low, that the PRIDE you had in your work was worth more.
Maybe it was our forefathers that instilled this pride in our being, when they wrote the Declaration of Independence, or the Constitution.
Maybe it was our immigrant parents (and we ALL were immigrants somewhere in our family histories, but we were LEGAL) that taught us values we held dear over the years. Whatever it was (and perhaps more) got this nation through a lot of tough times.
So what's up with "today"?
G.M. wants to buy out employees in order to save themselves money, as they've fallen on hard times. Ford and Chrysler have their own worries, and that's just the auto industry. And we all know that cars built today might have all these bells & whistles, but are built a lot less durable than in decades gone by.
Everywhere you look, businesses are in a state of flux. If it's not the world competition smacking them across the face one day, it's the devaluation of the dollar the next. And people forego pride in their work in lieu of the economy. They worry about the next buck so much more than whether or not they've made good products and provided good services.
And this can happen anywhere from the morning paperboy all the way up to the highest levels of city management. No one is exempt.
Yet's it's only a small part of a much larger picture. We export a lot of items (mostly food staples), but we are nowhere near any parity when it comes to what we IMPORT. We have become a nation of immediacy, and that means getting something cheaper (so we can get it faster, no matter what slave workers are toiling away for $5 a month). Our trade deficit to China alone is staggering. We can't just give them a million bushels of wheat and then receive ALL the electronic gadgets, toys, books, clothing, and everything else made there, and "call it even". Not in your wildest dreams.
So when I say we've lost our sense of PRIDE, I mean we've forgotten what it means to be the ones eveyone ELSE looks to...in a good way.
So when I say we've lost our sense of PRIDE, I mean we've forgotten what it means to be the ones eveyone ELSE looks to...in a good way.
Whether it's a youngster in school not caring about passing or failing, or the neighbor that can't be bothered shoveling their sidewalk (because spring will eventually get here), there just isn't any pride.
It can be pride of achievement, pride of parenting, pride of ownership, pride in oneself and one's appearance, or a multitude of other things we should be seeking, but are not. I know there are still some isolated pockets of "resistance" when it comes to pride.
I happen to be one of those people. I'm just too set in my ways to NOT give a damn, I guess. And I'm sure you're much the same, or at least know some people like us. Now, not to side with the "global warming" brigade, but you have to admit they's got a sense of pride when it comes to wanting to keep this old earth in good repair (whether or not it's self-repairing, which it is), and although I don't agree with them, I DO agree with the verve they display as they proceed. Would it be that everyone else would get on some bandwagon and do likewise.
Pride in something (hopefully productive) should be at the core of every person, no matter how small it may seem to others, it can be huge to that person (and helpful to any society).
Conversely, it's the LACK of pride, that causes so many of the world's ills. It can be suicides, homicides, sex offenses, drunkeness, drug addiction, or whatever. The main thing is that a lack of pride WILL produce one thing that's certain; bad choices.
When people stop caring about themselves, and start seeking other things to fill this void, that's when problems happen.
I shudder to think that we can come so far (as a people), only to stop at the crossroads, and not bother to wonder which way we should go, but rather sit our butts down, have an apple, and watch the rest of the world go by. It's not hard to take pride in something...anything. Hell, some people might even begin to like it
I shudder to think that we can come so far (as a people), only to stop at the crossroads, and not bother to wonder which way we should go, but rather sit our butts down, have an apple, and watch the rest of the world go by. It's not hard to take pride in something...anything. Hell, some people might even begin to like it
We're all on an incredible journey, and having a SENSE OF PRIDE in what we do and who we are will determine our future.
Sadly, the LACK of pride will do likewise.
And everyone else will know it.
2 comments:
Bobby,
Just an alternate point of view:
I took my first job when I was 14 years old. Since then I've had fifteen different jobs (often two or three at a time) including a meat processing plant, door-to-door sales and two bakeries. I too have always tried to take pride in my work.
But my job for the last ten years was working in a factory. Every time someone had a good day and made above normal production, that became the new standard. Now, an average day was considered to be falling behind.
When I started that job, I would work fifteen hour days, come in early, work extra days, change shifts or departments, and always put my heart into it. I would drive to other cities or states with only a few hours notice, and I would pick things up at the store for work on my off hours. I was the true "company man."
But when employees are treated like the machines they operate, it begins to wear on you. It's difficult sometimes to have pride for the job, when the job has no pride for you. Anyway, that's probably a large part of the reason I quit that job.
At least with blogging, we can create a true quality product!
I agree that (to me anyway) somewhere in the 70s, employers stopped viewing employees as PEOPLE, and strated to look at them as "disposable resources".
And even the deepest feelings of pride take it on the chin, under such circumstances.
I left the Treasury Department due to something (else)connected to one's work....I call it ETHICS.
People are no longer measured by the QUALITY, but rather the QUANTITY.
And we know it's all about someone's "bottom line", sad to say.
Great POV, Phil.
B.G.
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