I went to change jobs to work as a classroom teaching assistant years ago, to work with children and away from a desk, I did an adult education introduction course but the bottom line was the pay, about £8k at the time I think, not enough for one person to live on. I see ‘womens’ work paid lower in general, it has a lower value in money terms; like it or not women and children have a lower value to a society which is male dominated. Even if a woman does well in a traditionally male career, she might get a pat on the back but she must sacrifice her traditional female role of carer to some extent. Females are welcome in the workplace now, yes, but femininity valued, not truly. The way women and children are regarded reflects the way man has exploited the planet – mining it for whatever possible, for material pleasure and power over others through claims of ownership, exploiting her but not recognising the true potential that lies within and should be respected and recognised as not possessed by man. Man has become victim to his possessions anyway, things a run him now. Women should likewise remain rooted in their principles towards children, traditional female knowledge just as healing, intuition, caring, and not accept undervaluation.
Below is a quote from W. E. Du Bois on his 90th birthday, written to his newborn great-grandson:
‘The return from your work must be the satisfaction which that work brings you and the world’s need of that work. With this, life is heaven, or as near to heaven as you can get. Without this – with work which you despise, which bores you, and which the world does not need – life is hell’.
Not everyone has the opportunity to do the work of their choosing, ultimately working is a way to float above serious poverty, and poverty can be really damaging in certain societies. (Poverty can also be an opportunity for growth if you are conscious of it). In choosing a job, where a ‘career’ is not possible, I say choose the least damaging option to the world and learn from it.
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