commies with careers!? (calling all)

[Fabrizio]

any of you out there? what do your comrades make of it? what do others on here think of a "career-minded commie", or the thought of making good money?

I ask out of curioisity, and because I knew a surprising amount of "young upwardly mobile professionals" who were also communists.

[#FF0000]

I'm gonna be a teacher.

I don't know how upwardly mobile that makes me.

[Ele'ill]

My original views- entirely personal- were that I wouldn't fit into a career path because it deals so heavily with supporting various corruption at an individual business level. It also obviously supports capitalism as a system.

My views now as someone in my mid to late 20's are that I wish I had continued with school back in the day- although many other circumstances at the time made it nearly impossible- including unintentional homelessness and a sub-povertyline existance.

As of today I've decided to get a second job- perhaps full time- in retail or some other such occupation and to take online courses as well as night classes at a local community college.

I am certainly smart enough to go to school- and I feel like my life from about 15 years old up until now has made me hard enough to tough through the grind- and will actually help me out. Who knows- maybe it was the only way I'd have pulled it off.


Now the big question is- what do I go to school for? What do I want to pursue as a career?

I can only hope that the community colleges around here have good advisors that can help guide me.

If I had a shit ton of money all of a sudden I would consider Evergreen State college in washington.



There is no reason that leftists shouldn't be able to be successful in anything they do so long as they dedicate a portion of their life to struggle- on the side- or as their main occupation- and to those leftists that don't- I'm ok with that too.

To those leftists who are squatters and travelers- I hope they remain happy- I don't think I could remain a traveler or squatter without some other pay off- such as travel writing- writing in general- or otherwise finding a way to prove to myself, my family, friends and the rest of the world that I am competent enough to utilize my natural talents to sustain myself.


I will post about this further.

[x371322]

The only thing I've ever wanted to do with my life, for as long as I can remember, is be a professional musician. I'm in school right now (with plenty of lovely debt to show for it), in a music technology program. While I'd love to one day be able to sustain myself on my music alone, I know that's quite unlikely. So until then... wage slave it is! :cool:

[danyboy27]

i had a 2 year formation in computer maintenance, the market suck so i recycled myself in logistics and i am a warehouse worker now.

I like logistics but i might come back to school eventually, i just dont know in what field i should study, i would like to study in international relation, that sort of thing, but at the end i would be in debt without a job or i would work for the canadian governement, and i really dont want that.

I hate being forced to look for a profitable field, i wish i could just learn.

In the meantime, i am educating myself, currently reading the social contract, almost finished beyond good and evil, and starting the us army survival guide.

Next will be a people american history by howard zinn.

i am trying to mix practical knowledge and philosophy, since both are extremely important in the building of a human mind.

[Ele'ill]

The only thing I've ever wanted to do with my life, for as long as I can remember, is be a professional musician. I'm in school right now (with plenty of lovely debt to show for it), in a music technology program. While I'd love to one day be able to sustain myself on my music alone, I know that's quite unlikely. So until then... wage slave it is! :cool:

I feel that.

I've had ideas for a couple books that I simply have not had the time space and atmosphere to write out. I have felt for a long time that I was going to produce some piece of work that lots of people could connect with. I'll sit and listen to music and get these vivid scenes in my head- I've had teachers and other authors tell me that I am an extremely talented writer- It just hasn't materialized yet- and may never.

So what I've done is start to get the writing that I have finished into manuscript format and getting people to read it- I have an editor in D.C. that is a good friend. She's been looking over some of it. In the mean time it's cranking out hours working retail- and as of today- I've made the decision to get yet another job and to start thinking about school.


You obviously play music on the side- right? Have you considered just spending your next day off making a song with a friend or by yourself and trying to turn it into something?

[Ele'ill]

i had a 2 year formation in computer maintenance, the market suck so i recycled myself in logistics and i am a warehouse worker now.

I like logistics but i might come back to school eventually, i just dont know in what field i should study, i would like to study in international relation, that sort of thing, but at the end i would be in debt without a job or i would work for the canadian governement, and i really dont want that.

I hate being forced to look for a profitable field, i wish i could just learn.

In the meantime, i am educating myself, currently reading the social contract, almost finished beyond good and evil, and starting the us army survival guide.

Next will be a people american history by howard zinn.

i am trying to mix practical knowledge and philosophy, since both are extremely important in the building of a human mind.


A People's History Of The United States is a really good book. You're going to enjoy it.

[Ele'ill]

I'm posting a lot in this thread and will continue to do so because this is a topic I've been struggling with for the last week or so.

I find that my main issue with working or- going to school so that I can get work- is that I don't buy things. I don't have the desire to buy a computer- or a car- or a house and that's where that money really goes to.



Here's a question for everyone- I'm 26-27 years old- I have something like 5-7 classes left until I get my two year degree- mostly elective fun classes- am I really fucked in regards to going back to school?

Is the debt worth it?


Should I leave the house I'm renting and squat again- work two jobs and go to school?

I've had a lot of caffeine- spell check isn't working- so I'm feeling inclined to spam away because this shit has really really been bothering me. I feel untalented and unspecial as of late. :(

[Bud Struggle]

The only thing I've ever wanted to do with my life, for as long as I can remember, is be a professional musician.

I wouldn't have minded doing that myself. Good luck with it.

[Fabrizio]

interesting mix so far, keep em coming.:cool:

though all you bankers and lawyers, stop hiding and show your faces!

[Lt. Ferret]

i went to college at 18, graduated at 22, piled up the debt, joined the army a week after my 23rd birthday, got commissioned 6 months later. now im one of the youngest leuitenants in the army. theyre going to pay off my debt, then im going to use a texas version of the GI bill when i get out in a couple of years to pursue a masters in political science or sociology.

after that i will hopefully become a school teacher, or perhaps even a junior professor. i dont plan on getting a doctorate at this point. the debt drove me to the army in the first place. id say its worth it, you should be doing what you want iwth your life and studying what you want.

and you will generally always have enough money to eat.

[Bud Struggle]

interesting mix so far, keep em coming.:cool:

though all you bankers and lawyers, stop hiding and show your faces!

I own real estate. But I'm not much of a Commie. :(

[Ele'ill]

I think I just have to go back to school for something and figure it out from there.

[x371322]

You obviously play music on the side- right? Have you considered just spending your next day off making a song with a friend or by yourself and trying to turn it into something?

Well I'm actually unemployed for the moment. Good work is really hard to come by these days. Fortunately my parents still let me stay with them while I'm in school, so that's a huge help. So anyway, I'm able to spend most of my time perfecting my craft. I've got something of a home studio, and this is where I spend my days. I guess I don't really have the smartest priorities when it comes to money. I spent all my residual financial aid money (from when I was back in community college, before I transferred), money I could've spent on a car, or an apartment, on studio equipment. :lol:


Here's a question for everyone- I'm 26-27 years old- I have something like 5-7 classes left until I get my two year degree- mostly elective fun classes- am I really fucked in regards to going back to school?

Is the debt worth it?


Well, a degree is really what you make of it. I have an associates in information technology (supposedly one of the fastest growing fields, I was told), and have yet to find a job nearly a year later. I've recently started this bachelors program in music production, and it's going to put me in hella debt too. I just weighed all the risks, and in the end figured, hey, I'm gonna be in debt most of my life anyway from one thing or another, sooner or later. Most people are these days, so why not take a shot and go for it? So I just said fuck it, and signed up. Time will tell if I made dick move or not (probably:D).


I think I just have to go back to school for something and figure it out from there.

You seem to really be interested in your writing. Why not go for an english degree? Or literature, journalism, etc, something like that? Good luck with whatever you decide.

I know that for myself, no matter what I end up doing for a paycheck, I'm gonna be making music on the side. I would love to be able to find a job around music, even just a warehouse worker for a music company would be alright.


I wouldn't have minded doing that myself. Good luck with it.

Thanks Bud!

[#FF0000]

I think I just have to go back to school for something and figure it out from there.

Just get a degree in anything and don't pay any attention whatsoever to people who go on about useless degrees. Every degree will get you a job over minimum wage just for being a piece of paper that says "I went to school once".

[GPDP]

I'm a certified computer technician, and was once a Computer Science student hoping to become a software developer of some sort. On my third semester, I realized I hate programming and am sick of working with computers (I work with my dad selling them in bulk, with side-income coming from repairs and such), so I changed majors to Political Science and Sociology. I now hope to go on to graduate school and eventually become a professor myself. I have zero debt, so I think I have a good shot at it.

[The Grey Blur]

i want to be a primary (grade) school teacher then maybe write some academic theory on pedagogy and work at the university level. i like working with little kids and university-level adults but i hate the adolescent brats in between. :cool:

[Dean]

I'll probably do something with economics. I'd like to teach the subject, but I doubt I'd be a good teacher.

[Jimmie Higgins]

If someone is able to make a decent wage or have a good career, why wouldn't they take that. I can understand if it maybe requires too much time and would take away from you ability to be an activist or take too much time from you family, but other than that, why suffer if you can avoid it?

We shouldn't base our judgment of individuals based on class - class is not a moral position and supporting the working class shouldn't be a "lifestyle" choice. If a comrade is sincere and a good activist, I don't really care if they are a relatively well-off professional or something. Hell, if it just means there is one less condescending yuppie out there because a professional has some understanding of how class workers in our society, so much the better for people serving him lattes and boutique lunches:lol:

I've worked many odd-jobs. I've also worked with the schools and was an unsuccessful substitute (because I hardly ever got any calls that I could actually do - they'd call me to go to schools that were a 45 minute drive away when I was unsung public transportation at the time). That kind of put me off of that - plus all the teachers I met through my job were all burnt out and so I kept thinking... the job situation for teachers is bound to improve again in a few years and I'll go back and finish my credential then... the situation has only gotten worse!

[Ele'ill]

I'm probably going to go to school for either English or Sociology because both are of great interest to me. I of course enjoy politics but I think it would frustrate me because of how things are being taught.

Journalism is extremely competitive- and I think if I wanted to do it I would have freelanced by now.