Good jobs for revolutionaries?

[ComingUpForAir]

This is going to sound like a pretty inane question, so please bear with me:

As a Marxist I find the idea of going into business repulsive, but I also recognize that people who have tendencies or talents in one direction or another would be denying their talents if they didn't pursue career paths that would help them develop and achieve maximum surplus (though Capitalism stultifies and alienates, also leading to wage-slavery).

I find academia to be a boring environment and dislike the idea of teaching to students who I fear will be glassy eyed and bored..though I am aware Philosophy students are more engaged in general.

My question is quite simple: What kinds of jobs are 'acceptable' for Marxists, if I can put it that way? What can you stand and what can't you? I work in the Film industry but I realize its heavily commercialized and that is nauseating.. but I can't find a way out really.

Anyway any perspective you have would really help me out -- I'm a confused post-grad who's looking for purpose and can't think of what would help me balance my material needs with a sense of dignity an purpose as a Marxist. Thanks!

[Jimmie Higgins]

Generally there are no jobs that are "acceptable" or "not acceptable". Aside from things like scabbing or being a cop which inherently pit you against working class struggle, having a proletarian wage job or a professional career with more autonomy at work arn't really moral considerations. And frankly people who have the luxury to turn town professional jobs for moral reasons can be a little bit of an off-putting idea for most people who just have to do what they can to make a wage.

The reasons you stated, a job seeming boring, or not being able to reconcile your daily life at work with your larger political ideas is a real issue though and can lead to frustration. If you have a job where you can organize along with co-workers, then this is a job where you can really have a unity between your political and and work-life. Otherwise, most of the time for most people, we just have to do the thing, get our paycheck and then use our free-time to engage in social and economic struggles.

So it's really not a question of "appropriateness" but of individual preference and opportunities. Some might be able to put up with a professional job, hold their nose during the day, and then use their money and time to fight for something better - some may just not be able to deal with the contradictions of knowing what's possible while having to deal with the hypocrisy and alienation on their job.

The "moral" thing to do as a radical is to be active and try and help the working class organize itself.

[ComingUpForAir]

Thanks Comrade -- that is sound advice.

[Tim Cornelis]

Working at a radical left-wing bookstore.

[Ocean Seal]

Just don't be a cop or a CEO, that's pretty much it.

[Igor]

My question is quite simple: What kinds of jobs are 'acceptable' for Marxists, if I can put it that way? What can you stand and what can't you? I work in the Film industry but I realize its heavily commercialized and that is nauseating.. but I can't find a way out really. Thanks!

Everything is pretty heavily commercialized, to be frank. That's why this whole capitalism thing, well, is a thing. In some industries, it's more in-your-face than others, but even the aforementioned leftist bookstore is forced to operate on capitalist principles to certain extent.

Just do whatever you think you can somehow enjoy and get decent enough cash out of it, without bringing too much additional misery to other people with career choices like upper management in the corporate world, cop or military career, just to say a few examples.