Tuesday, March 04, 2008

The Real Question

It seems like every time I meet someone of a certain social class I get
asked, almost immediately, where I work. This is a normal conversation
topic amongst people that have just met I realize, but it usually isn't
the second or third question out of someone's mouth. "Hi, what is your
name? Great I am so and so, where do you work? This weekend I got a
real treat of a question. I was asked, "What part of town do you work
in?" This was question number two. The guy should have just asked
the real question on his mind; How much money do you make? I don't make
enough to be his friend apparently, but why would I want to be his
friend anyway.

I personally never ask where someone works unless the subject of work
has come up. I mean, I really don't care where someone works. There
are more aspects of the person's life that are more interesting and say
a lot more about the person.

Next time I get asked that question, I think I will respond with, "I am
not rich."

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9 comments:

Princesskasren said...

That's the first question they ask you over here..."So what do you do?"As if that means anything...I just don't get it.

Steve Betz said...

I think sometimes people ask the "what do you do for a living?" because these days its taboo to ask someone about their spiritual beliefs, their family, their political leanings, etc. and it becomes just a default question. Sometimes "work" is just a safe neutral ground.

grrrace said...

i'm guilty of asking people that too, but only because i'm trying to make small talk and i don't know what else to talk about. hehe.

gamany said...

since we're on the subject of work, where do you work, budd? just kidding, don't answer that.so, how's the weather? that's the real question. ;)

Kirk said...

I like knowing where someone works as a way of getting to know who they are as a person; the amount of money they make wouldn't be why I'd ask that question. Though I definitely know people for whom that is the sole reason for the inquiry, so I understand your aggravation. As an artist, I'm of the mind that money isn't the reason to take a career. If I felt money was what was important, I'd have become a stockbroker.I guess what I'm saying is, I'm glad I know you, regardless of what you do or how much you make. :)

jung said...

that guy is from Alabama. he just moved to Tennessee. I would be proud to tell him what I do, where I work at, if I love my job. May be you don't even like what you do and you feel bad to talk about it to other people. Maybe that is the real problem.

jung said...

Don't feel bad when other people asking about your job. Not everybody think like you think. Maybe he just simply wanted to know where you working at.

Skyer said...

I think what some of these people want to know is what field you work in. regrettably, most people feel that anyone in, say, biology, can answer questions on zoology, microbiology, health, the physics of an X-ray, and some philosophy. then they plan to pepper you with inane questions vaguely regarding one of those things.

Everyone Loves an Irish Girl said...

I like knowing what people do for a living, but most of the time, I don't care where they do it. Usually, if they do their job at someplace really fascinating, they offer that up. I wouldn't ask someone who their employer was, and I don't give my information regarding that up either.

I have to agree with Steve that sometimes it's just an easier way to connect with people and get to know them without asking anything that's "taboo," or awkward, unless they're miserably unemployed... but even someone who's unemployed can say what type of profession their career path is currently in.

I laugh so hard at people who automatically assume a certain salary level based on what someone does, for whom they work, or in which part of town they work. The fact of the matter is that salaries vary so much based on so many different factors that such assumptions are naive. Here in Chicago, people regularly ask what part of town you work in, but that does not denote money-making potential at all, thankfully.