To Earn a Living

Posted Aug 5th, 2009 at 02:41 PM by Lucid Chaotic
Updated Aug 11th, 2009 at 12:26 AM by Lucid Chaotic

This morning I took a cab to a meeting location, and as it often happens, there was a desi cab driver – an elderly gentleman who had been driving a cab for a few years now. I struck a conversation with him and talked about various things including work. It wasn’t too surprising to find out that the guy had a fairly stable profession back home where he worked as a physician, but after coming here, he just didn’t have the resources to pursue the required certifications to upgrade his credentials. What was surprising though was the level of contentment he had with his work, and I was very pleased to see that.

I’m the sort of person who believes in the value of work and hard-earned money – be it from a blue-collar or white-collar job source. These divisions are arbitrary and somewhat prejudiced creations of our superficial social order. I’ve had many conversations with friends and colleagues about this, and I feel that no one should be embarrassed about their line of work – alas, it’s the society that disgraces various occupations. I’ve come across people who would rather go on welfare rather than work in what they perceive to be menial jobs. To me, that’s the more dishonorable recourse… unless of course, one has a disability that forbids them from performing the jobs that are available.

Talking to this guy, I was reminded of this:

Quote:

Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, "He who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is nobler than he who ploughs the soil.
And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet."
But I say, not in sleep but in the overwakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;
And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.
- Khalil Gibran – The Prophet

P.S. I know... I'm quoting too much Gibran these days, but lately, I've been very reflexive in my discussions and I've been finding his quotes exceedingly relevant.

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	Khalil Gibran was an excellent writer, so quote away And i totally agree with you... it is all too easy for people these days to pass judgement on said blue collar people.... you never know what another's circumstances are.... BTW - I love your succinct manner of writing!
	Posted Aug 5th, 2009 at 02:54 PM by maroush

	I totally agree. There is "waqar" in menial jobs.
	Posted Aug 5th, 2009 at 02:55 PM by ahmadjee

	If you find passion and drive in what you do whether it be blue collared and white collared - it transends a job into a career. I have seen immigrants who have struggled to as students or working at gas station or minumum payed jobs are more accepting of people regardless their social order.
	Posted Aug 5th, 2009 at 02:57 PM by njgal

I agree NJ, i have also observed the following:

I see MBA/PhD students from abroad, coming here to fund their studies... yes they take the jobs at Maccy Ds/KFC/Burger King, and you know, that is one thing that i love about some of our people, they have humility.

Yet, i see the average British Joe scrounging off benefits and the State, because they think they are oh too good (yet not qualified in any manner) to do such subservient work.....

It really makes you think...

Posted Aug 5th, 2009 at 03:06 PM by maroush maroush is offline

But Maroush , have you noticed one other thing , our people only work on minial jobs until they get an indefinite stay stamp in the UK ..once they do , they jump straight on government funding !!

LC , I totally agree with you , when I last went to Pakistan I was shocked how they treat the blue collar workers .. even In dubai they are treated worse than animals ... but the fact is , the money these people earn is the most hard earned and they definitely deserve all our respect ...

Posted Aug 5th, 2009 at 03:50 PM by Chicken Biryani Chicken Biryani is offline

Sometimes whitefolk would look at me with pity thinking here's another immigrant with a wife and kids to feed driving a cab to make ends meet because he doesn't have training or the social connections to survive in this jungle. Little did they know that i was a single 23 year old who was too lazy to finish university and rather enjoys this job.

Okay so the cons of driving a cab did eventually outweigh the pros and hence i'm back in the 9 to 5 grind, but it was an interesting two years of my life that i wasted. I keep telling myself i voluntarily took part in a two year long social experiment.

I too have come across other cabbies who are content with this job, and thats all that matters. Menial job shmenial job. Its a tough job, but more importantly its an honest living.

Posted Aug 5th, 2009 at 04:24 PM by Cheegum Cheegum is offline

	Quote: only work on minial jobs until they get an indefinite stay stamp in the UK ..once they do , they jump straight on government funding !! yup!
	Posted Aug 5th, 2009 at 04:25 PM by sweet.i.f

	I agree with most comments... if one has been in the trenches in trying to earn an honest living, then he/she appreciates its worth even more. I've personally experienced it myself, but when I look back, I don't think I was overly discontented with my life at that time... there was struggle - yes! but not discontentment. Alhamdullilah, I've used that experience as an opportunity for progress.
	Posted Aug 6th, 2009 at 05:22 PM by Lucid Chaotic