Slog Comments
The More American Humans Play the Less Harm They Do to the Environment
1
Given how many Americans have no paid time off at all, not vacation or sick days, how in the hell is 25 days our "average"? I've worked the same job for seven years, now for a multinational corporation, and I only get 20 days.
2
Americans are defined by their occupation. We've deeply internalized the Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.
3
And the more afraid we are of the manufactured void, the more we blame those who have fallen into it as being personally responsible.
4
I make a deliberate effort when having conversations outside a professional context to NEVER ask any question along the line of "what do you do?" in the course of small-talk. The fact that this requires deliberate effort is the proof that #2 is completely correct.
5
Bravo, Chaz. @2 is absolutely correct. It's a pathology. Also, an interesting dynamic is that those who believe in that "job-as-identity" system help enforce that on others within a corporate context. I've seen this many times. I've also seen people who will never take their vacation time no matter what. It would have to be mandatory for those fools.
Keep in mind there are other countries that have this problem despite quasi-governmental guaranteed jobs programs. I have friend working in an Asian country at a corporate job and she gets a whopping 7 days vacation. She's been there for about 4 years.
Keep in mind there are other countries that have this problem despite quasi-governmental guaranteed jobs programs. I have friend working in an Asian country at a corporate job and she gets a whopping 7 days vacation. She's been there for about 4 years.
6
@5,
It should not only be mandatory for the employee; it should also be mandatory for the employer.
Lots of employers find ways to bully their employees into not taking time off. It should be, if your employees haven't taken their time by December 1, then they get that entire month off. If employers don't do a better job of freeing up their employees' schedules so they can take time off throughout the year, then they'll just have to deal with empty offices for an entire month. Most European employers already face that in August every year. American employers can learn to suck it up.
It should not only be mandatory for the employee; it should also be mandatory for the employer.
Lots of employers find ways to bully their employees into not taking time off. It should be, if your employees haven't taken their time by December 1, then they get that entire month off. If employers don't do a better job of freeing up their employees' schedules so they can take time off throughout the year, then they'll just have to deal with empty offices for an entire month. Most European employers already face that in August every year. American employers can learn to suck it up.
Comments (6) RSS