This is UTNE space.

-- Anonymous, November 11, 1998

Answers

Last week, I attempted to respond to Cherise's comments, and to post my Utne Reader thoughts; however, I sent them off who-knows-where. They're zooming around in Cyberspace, but haven't found their intended home -- this discussion page. So, here's another try!

The articles I read, three rather short ones, that all deal with work, fulfillment, and the search for meaning, are: 1)"The Gray Flannel Soul: The Absurdity of Seeking God on the Job," by Martha Nichols 2) "To Work Is Human, To Slack Divine: Why the Best Jobs are Mindless" by Hal Niedzviecki 3) "A Path with Heart," by Eric Utne.

The first article talks about corporations that bring in the best elements of eastern spirituality, neighborhood coffee claches, and religion's transmission of values -- all for the purpose of helping employees find fulfillment and meaning in their work lives. At least, that's what they say -- more about that in a moment! The second article talks of the "stupid job" -- part-time, without benefits, without meaning -- that is more and more the inheritance not only of the poor and undereducated, but also of highly educated, aggressive young folks who expected something entirely different. He mentions that the "stupid job" has its advantages: it teaches you to seek meaning in other parts of your life, to live simply and within your means, to consume less, and "actually figure out how to enjoy life." The editorial by Eric Utne speaks of some of the same elements: avenues he's employed, such as eastern mysticism ("Vipassana meditation that practices focussed awareness & bare attention" --what that means, I'd like to know!), in order to help him balance work & family.

It seems that all of these articles sound a warning about seeking to find overmuch fulfillment of life-meaning in one's work. We know that the overarching goal of corporations is to turn a profit. Stockholders & boards of directors will certainly vote to cut liabilities & increase assets, and even if an organization is "enlightened," it still has the bottom line supremely in mind. The author of "The Gray Flannel Soul" seems to believe that "family friendly" policies and the promotion of sacred dimensions to work life are really ways of duping workers into sacrificing their rights and lives for the good of the company. She quotes Thomas Frank who says, "Progressive corporations frighten me. They imply that social change is no longer under the purivew of the left, which means there's nothing outside of the corporation." And Eric Utne mentions that fully 24% of the American population are committed to "ecological sustainability, alternative health, gender equality, renewal of family and community relationships, and spiritual growth and service to others," but that a defining characteristic of members of this group is that each feels that nearly no one else shares his/her beliefs.

I think all of this relates to us as educators, and to those we work with -- students & colleagues. For one thing, we are constantly harangued about students not being ready for the "work world." Hence, the 8th grade baseic tests and the "high standards" of the grad rule. However, we need to keep in mind what we're preparing them for: quite likely, a succession of "stupid jobs," even though they might be highly educated. Furthermore, employment tests generally tap only middle-school skills (from a report from SciMath Minnesota). Possibly we need to "take care" about the pressure we put upon them and us, and keep in mind that Life is larger than -- and has dimensions not addressed by -- and that are not the purview of -- school and work.

Asked by Christine Osthus (costhus@d.umn.edu) on November 01, 1998.

-- Anonymous, November 11, 1998

Christine,

Thank you for your comments regarding my Utne article review. Yes, I just focused on the traditional classroom setting to which I am most familiar. Considering your different perspective of the same article, it is easy for me to see why those people who are eager to get a job quickly would be upset by the continually changing technological world. A good point indeed. However, I do not want to give you the impression that I totally avoid, or do not appreciate the "humanities". The following is an example that I used in my International Studies class just last week.

I had my 11th grade students read and analyze the lyrics of a musician (Johnny Clegg) who experienced apartheid in South Africa. He is white and his band is black and their songs are very interesting to study. We spent two class periods trying to interpret the full meaning of the "lessons" which could be learned from their music.

I believe there is a place for a rich mix of diverse subjects for students to sample. I thought the Utne article was leaning too far on the humanities side. Perhaps, my initial response was in trying to balance that off-centered point-of-view.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I appreciate your insight.

-- Anonymous, November 16, 1998