“Oh those lawyers…”
“Oh those CEOs…”
“Oh those contractors…”
“Oh those politicians…”
“Oh those doctors…”
“Oh those pro athletes…”
“Oh those cab drivers…”
“Oh those accountants”
“Oh those bureaucrats…”
“Oh those public schoolteachers…”
“Oh those sales clerks…”
“Oh those reporters…”
“Oh those social workers…”
“Oh those investment bankers…”
Have you thought about how many vocations are subjected to easy put downs starting with “Oh those…,” followed by a story? I have done so myself, and I can’t promise that I won’t do it again. (This, coming from the lips of a lawyer!)
So what?
I’m not 100 percent certain what the “takeaway” points are from this, but let me give it a shot:
First, if a vocation has a poor reputation, there often are elements of truth behind it. (Believe me, I get it when people complain about the legal profession.)
Second, regardless of whether the negative characterizations are fair or unfair, their prevalence is making us very cynical toward our fellow workers. And a lot of us may be tossing these bricks from some pretty big picture windows.
Finally, if we want to improve the world of work and the products and services we all provide, then we need to ask hard questions of ourselves, our vocations, and our attitudes.