Comment by jwr
1 day ago
The problem is with work ethics, not with jobs.
In Japan, it's impressive to see how people perform even the most menial jobs with dedication. It's the Yoda approach: do or do not. If you do a job, do it well. So, you will see people whose job is to stand in the rain and watch over a construction site exit making sure people in the sidewalk do not get run over by trucks exiting the site, doing their job with utter dedication. Even if it rains. Even if the job is crappy. I'm sure these people would rather have a different job — but as long as this is the one they have, they will sure as anything do it well!
The average level of work ethic in the areas I frequent has cratered over the last 6-7 years.
I can feel it happening to me as well. I used to get super anxious if I wasn't going to be able to respond to a work email within a few minutes. Basically chained myself to my desk at home M-F. Remember phone calls? Having to answer a ringing phone within 15 seconds or you could be perceived as delinquent? No one is responding quickly to anything anymore.
Keeping myself amped up 8 hours a day for vendors and customers who are 1000% asleep at the wheel is too much. I wait for meaningful work to accumulate now and work in bursts. This definitely contributes to the downward spiral, but I don't know what else to do. Human energy is finite. I'm willing to stick my neck out really far for really long if it seems like others are willing to do the same, but it doesn't feel like that kind of situation right now.
> So, you will see people whose job is to stand in the rain and watch over a construction site exit making sure people in the sidewalk do not get run over by trucks exiting the site, doing their job with utter dedication.
That kind of job existing in the first place is the problem. And that could be well called subservience instead of work ethic.
> That kind of job existing in the first place is the problem.
Yes, that was my initial reaction, too, when I first saw these people. I felt superior, in My Western World we didn't have jobs like that. We did Bigger and More Important Things. This job was surely an artifact, a silly attempt to reduce unemployment.
But after living in Japan for a while I realized that these jobs actually make a lot of sense. Those people pay attention and really do make sure that people do not get run over by trucks. They direct traffic, they make it easier for truck drivers, they make it easier and safer for people walking on the sidewalk as well. As a side effect, they also watch for unexpected things: if it's a roadwork site, theft, or even things like traffic cones toppling over, or safety lights not working correctly.
It really improves things for everyone.
> That kind of job existing in the first place is the problem.
Why? You don't think that job is important? To prevent injuries around a construction site?
In most of the world that job is done by a traffic light.
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