Would you rather: Do meaningless work well, or meaningful work poorly?

[Cube Inmate]

Everybody wants the ideal career: "Do meaningful work, and be really good at it."

Well, life sucks and sometimes you have to make a choice. So, if you had to choose would you rather be

• really great at a meaningless job, or
• "barely adequate" at a meaningful job (whatever that means to you)?

By "meaningless" I mean really, really pointless. Less meaningful than holding the "slow" sign on a road construction site. More like selling "hats for cats." By "barely adequate" I mean like on the verge of getting fired, but maybe not quite yet.

I'm asking for a friend....

[Baaarrden]

Which one pays more?

Because that one

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Assuming the pay was identical?

Good at the meaningless job.

I couldn't handle being awful at something I had to do every day. I'd hate it. Unless I was blissfully ignorant of my awfulness. Then I'd be happy and others would just have to deal with my ineptitude. Like people who work for the Oilers.

[Stud_McCool]

I'd rather feel smart doing a dumb job than feel dumb doing a smart job.

[Amethyst]

Really great at a meaningless job. Not that I think that would be wonderful but I think the other option would be awful.

If I was barely adequate at my job, whatever it was, it would be extremely stressful. Why would I want that?

And if the job was something important to me (i.e. meaningful) I would want it done well, even if that was by someone other than me.

[Looch City]

Working on a job that you're awful at and on the verge of being fired every day?

No thank you. I'd rather be the best burger flipper that ever lived.

[The Yen Man]

Yup, I'd rather do the meaningless job well. Feeling like an idiot on a daily basis would wear on my psyche pretty quickly.

[Cube Inmate]

I work for a salary, but I don't work "for the money" so that never even crossed my mind. And I understand that being on the low end of the performance spectrum can be pretty stressful, but I still can't help but wonder if knowing that you do meaningless work (and could be replaced by a vacuum) isn't equally stressful.

Early consensus says "sucking" is worse.

[edslunch]

You can get better at a meaningful job. You can't make flipping burgers more meaningful

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by edslunch

You can get better at a meaningful job. You can't make flipping burgers more meaningful

Sure you can. You could flip burgers at a program that feeds hungry kids a homeless shelter.

[GirlySports]

I like burgers

[jeffman]

In either situation I would feel rather worthless, but if it means putting food on the table, I'll take meangingless work if it meant job security

[Dion]

Originally Posted by edslunch

You can get better at a meaningful job. You can't make flipping burgers more meaningful

It depends on the attitude you take to work everyday. Taking pride in what you're doing and giving an honest days work is what I applied to any job I ever had.

[Jacks]

Depends, can I pull a Costanza, pretend to know what I'm doing then build a nap cave under my desk?

[Locke]

The only good answer is to do meaningless work well.

It'll pay less and not bring much satisfaction but it would be better than letting people down by doing important work badly.

If you're capable of doing something better then great, but if not then you should consider the consequences of your poor work on those around you.

Just doing meaningful work and screwing it up but getting paid...? I've got a blindfold and a cigarette for these people.

[Roast Beef]

What's the pay? If it pays more or has a higher ceiling and I could get better at the "barely adequate" Then I would choose that every time. Everyone has to start somewhere. If the meaningless job pays more and has a higher ceiling, and I'm considered a god in the role, I would choose that. I'm not my job, I can put up with challenging or boring if it lets me do what I need or want to do outside of work hours.

[Dan02]

The people who doing meaningful work poorly usually don't realize they are.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Locke

The only good answer is to do meaningless work well.

It'll pay less and not bring much satisfaction but it would be better than letting people down by doing important work badly.

If you're capable of doing something better then great, but if not then you should consider the consequences of your poor work on those around you.

Just doing meaningful work and screwing it up but getting paid...? I've got a blindfold and a cigarette for these people.

Politicans screw up meaingful work all the time and we keep electing those bastard into office. Show me an honest politician and i'll show you a stack of 50's and 100"s

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Dion

Politicans screw up meaingful work all the time and we keep electing those bastard into office. Show me an honest politician and i'll show you a stack of 50's and 100"s

I dont know what this means.

I dont disagree with you necessarily, but the same could be said of a lot of professions (looking at you lawyers), its not their honesty at question in this instance though its their competence.

And once again the same could be said of most politicians.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Locke

I dont know what this means.

I dont disagree with you necessarily, but the same could be said of a lot of professions (looking at you lawyers), its not their honesty at question in this instance though its their competence.

And once again the same could be said of most politicians.

A politician can be bought in a simliar way that Hiliary Clinton was. Make a donation to my foundation or campain and i'll make sure you get what you want. Staying in power is the first priority and how you do that is another matter.

“An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.” Simon Cameron