I agree that the rigid 9-5 is not fulfilling for a lot of people, and would even go so far as to say we’d be happier as a whole if we could work outside of that prescribed structure.
I have to assume this person is being massively facetious with the tone of this tweet though. Obviously it’s twitter so it’s nonsense, but no, you wouldn’t just shoot the shit, pick some berries, and then chill out. You never been farming? It’s miserable, hard work. And when I was doing that, it was safe in the knowledge that I had food in my fridge and cupboards, so I wasn’t totally reliant on the food I could pick. And that’s farming, i.e. an established plot of land where I know food is meant to be, grown by me and people before me, that I should be able to pick from.
If I was scavenging, on unknown land? No fuckin way dude, honestly call me a weakling but I’ll work a 9-5 if it means I can afford (and have the opportunity to pick from a decent variety of) fair quality food, have decent leisure time to myself, and not have to worry about whether the food I’m picking, if I can find it, is gonna make me shit myself to death.
I have issues with the system, massive issues with the system, and I recognise I’m privileged to be in the position where my 9-5 makes me miserable but not suicidal and where the shops around me stock a variety of food, year-round, all of which I can try with a little bit of careful budgeting. It is definitely better than dying of bad berry disease in a god-forsaken cave.
I’ll work a 9-5 if it means I can afford… …fair quality food
I know you mention your privilege, and I’m glad you’re in the position you’re in where your job gives you the means and you live where you have access to a variety of good quality food. (I’m not glad the job makes you miserable.)
For so many, that’s just not the case. We can’t afford it, or if we can, we’re not just working a 9-5, we’re working two or more jobs, 10 or more hours a day, and shitty hours, more than five days a week, living in food deserts where food quality is terrible, and on and on.
Now, I agree with you. I’d be perfectly happy working my main job (I work two), if it meant I could afford to live my life without the constant stress of trying to afford to just exist.
Compare that to hunter gatherer lifestyle, where they worked to hunt/gather/shelter/etc themselves for 20ish hours a week and had significantly more leisure time and less stress.
Given the choice between the two, I’d live the hunter gatherer lifestyle rather than working 50+ hours a week as a wage slave to barely keep my head above water. And I know that’s not all daisies and rainbows either, but fuck capitalism and this construct we’re currently living in.
You are not fully employed in a country that has internet access and worried about food security in a way that resembles that of a hunter gatherer. Or even a farmer 100 years ago. Absolute drama queen.
When we talk about lack of access to enough/good quality food in the modern day we mean something pretty different. Your cell phone bill each month probably costs as much as rice and beans for a family of four.
I agree that the rigid 9-5 is not fulfilling for a lot of people, and would even go so far as to say we’d be happier as a whole if we could work outside of that prescribed structure.
I have to assume this person is being massively facetious with the tone of this tweet though. Obviously it’s twitter so it’s nonsense, but no, you wouldn’t just shoot the shit, pick some berries, and then chill out. You never been farming? It’s miserable, hard work. And when I was doing that, it was safe in the knowledge that I had food in my fridge and cupboards, so I wasn’t totally reliant on the food I could pick. And that’s farming, i.e. an established plot of land where I know food is meant to be, grown by me and people before me, that I should be able to pick from.
If I was scavenging, on unknown land? No fuckin way dude, honestly call me a weakling but I’ll work a 9-5 if it means I can afford (and have the opportunity to pick from a decent variety of) fair quality food, have decent leisure time to myself, and not have to worry about whether the food I’m picking, if I can find it, is gonna make me shit myself to death.
I have issues with the system, massive issues with the system, and I recognise I’m privileged to be in the position where my 9-5 makes me miserable but not suicidal and where the shops around me stock a variety of food, year-round, all of which I can try with a little bit of careful budgeting. It is definitely better than dying of bad berry disease in a god-forsaken cave.
The key here is (emphasis added):
I know you mention your privilege, and I’m glad you’re in the position you’re in where your job gives you the means and you live where you have access to a variety of good quality food. (I’m not glad the job makes you miserable.)
For so many, that’s just not the case. We can’t afford it, or if we can, we’re not just working a 9-5, we’re working two or more jobs, 10 or more hours a day, and shitty hours, more than five days a week, living in food deserts where food quality is terrible, and on and on.
Now, I agree with you. I’d be perfectly happy working my main job (I work two), if it meant I could afford to live my life without the constant stress of trying to afford to just exist.
Compare that to hunter gatherer lifestyle, where they worked to hunt/gather/shelter/etc themselves for 20ish hours a week and had significantly more leisure time and less stress.
Given the choice between the two, I’d live the hunter gatherer lifestyle rather than working 50+ hours a week as a wage slave to barely keep my head above water. And I know that’s not all daisies and rainbows either, but fuck capitalism and this construct we’re currently living in.
You are not fully employed in a country that has internet access and worried about food security in a way that resembles that of a hunter gatherer. Or even a farmer 100 years ago. Absolute drama queen.
When we talk about lack of access to enough/good quality food in the modern day we mean something pretty different. Your cell phone bill each month probably costs as much as rice and beans for a family of four.