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Do you ever just stop and recognize the absurdity of our modern life?

I walked out of the crib to take a quick relief break and there are a group of supervisors and managers surrounding a bunch of product. One was making the, "this is really important " hand gestures and another was shaking her head in that way that says they are so over it but have to care somehow.

I work in a factory that makes things people use everyday. Honestly, I really don't believe there is any shortage in the world of the things we produce. Considering it has been in existence for over 30 years, and everything is made from types of plastic, from soft to hard, I wonder how much of our products are in landfills and bottom of the ocean.

As I continue my walk, there's another two women in deep conversation about what needs to be done. Another person in that same department runs around like a mini drill sergeant screaming and snapping at people.

And these scenes play out all across the factory every hour of every day. People who are so deep in the work, it becomes the most important thing in their lives.

When I think about this, I instantly realize...this is absurd. We make plastic things. That is it. We make things people use, but don't necessarily need or can't buy cheaper with other brands. Hell, we even supply those cheaper options to other brands to sell.

There is literally nothing life stopping, important, or even relevant. We make office trash cans, farm carts and mop buckets. But the people here treat it like they are the only things that matter in the world, at least while they are here.

Some would say they have amazing work ethics. That they are successful employees. They should be an inspiration.

And that makes me laugh because to make your whole life value based on an office recycling bin is hilarious. A piece of plastic becomes more important than the people making them.

I find the absurdity of this existence hilarious and a little bit sad.

Am I the only one who goes through this?
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exchrist · 36-40
Similar to my experience but my professional life was on phones mostly and then government so a bit different. My coworkers when I worked phones were usually also students (in college) so phones (smartphones) were a huge and central part of their life anyway. My other job for the state government often actually becomes the employee’s life. 8am until 5pm everyday for the rest of your life. Serving the public. The union makes any employment decisions for you.
Breaks are scheduled and on the calendar for all of society. Once someone works the job for 5 years they become “vested” and the job is pretty much for life.
Also public servants are contracted to be there rain or shine under any circumstance.
Regardless Some people make their job their entire life. That’s how you keep a job!
But certainly little things become triggers or points of association sometimes in an otherwise mundane existence.
My friend rationalized how boring his job was by always knocking twice before entering any building. It gave him something to be comfortable around/distracted by.
It always always fun when he would knock on an automatic sliding door. Little habits to keep us sane. His focus was the doors opening for everyone
CrazyMusicLover · 31-35
I'm aware of it 24/7. Every time I go to eat something I bought in a store wondering how much it's processed and how it's packed and stored, etc. I sense plastic in yogurt and think about how I consciously made the decision to buy this instead of yogurt sold in glass. I think about the abundance of cheap thematic kitch in stores like Flying Tiger, Kik or Pepco and how there's no chance people will buy it all up and what's going to happen with the rest. I wonder why the hell there are only available eggs from UK in a store I visited when we have our own farms or could at least import from neighbouring countries.... Honestly, there's so much BS all around, every day, at every step.
I was fortunate to work at a couple places that made very relatable products, wanted to own, and was easy to be a fan. Unfortunately, the corp BS tainted things. In some respects, I actually now appreciate working for a place with a service I don't much care about.
FreeSpirit1 · 51-55, F
It’s the things we do to keep from being useless, which in this day and age is becoming more and more likely. We have our jobs and our family (hopefully) but you aren’t wrong, it can seem absurd .
FoxyQueen · 51-55, F
@FreeSpirit1 I'm not going to say I don't take my job seriously every now and again. It's usually when someone is working to somehow make my job harder.

I just don't live here. I work here to get money to enjoy the rest of my life. But some people, their jobs are literally all they have and I am always floored by that.

Life is not work. Work helps better your life by giving you the means to do the things you want. That's it. Unless you have that magic job that fulfills a very deep part of you. I can get behind that too.
I often think about the absurdity of our modern economy in general. We manufacture, buy, throw out, and buy it again.
And if we don't do this endlessly the whole world goes into a tailspin.
Ummm every minute of every day
Ferric67 · M
🙋🏻‍♂
Tastyfrzz · 61-69, M
[media=https://youtu.be/SKC8iPeIvEA?si=n_KszL3Djyai1y2d]

 
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