Morality of jobs and what am I supposed to DO for the rest of my days on this earth?

[whatevergirl]

Glad to hear it

amongst other products!

Something to think about though, MS…is that often times, people will choose a job/career path, that doesn’t seem immoral at first…they are looking to support themselves/their family–and ask questions later. I think you are on the right track, to ask yourself a lot of morality type questions before taking a position–or before even applying. If you couldn’t see yourself buying the product…could you see yourself selling it or promoting it? Even if someone is not directly involved in selling the product/service that his/her company offers–by working there, they can be seen as promoting or advocating it. So, it is most definitely something to consider.

 

[ElizabethPH]

I think you’d do great to work for Catholic charities. What an experience and a wonderful way to get experience.

crs.org/

crs.org/about/careers/

 

[vern_humphrey]

Yes, but in that four months she encountered immorality at a very low level, which doesn’t bode well for senior managers.

Did the managers appear and tell their side of the story?

In every case like this I’ve ever seen – a person leaves a job after a few months and starts spreading stories – what you usually have is a malcontent who failed to measure up and was let go.

 

[Magicsilence]

Did the managers appear and tell their side of the story?

In every case like this I’ve ever seen – a person leaves a job after a few months and starts spreading stories – what you usually have is a malcontent who failed to measure up and was let go.

She wasn’t looking for a job. She went there specifically as a **journalist **to see if anything was amiss and she quit at the end.

Blessings,

 

[Magicsilence]

I think you’d do great to work for Catholic charities. What an experience and a wonderful way to get experience.

crs.org/

crs.org/about/careers/

Their requirements are a little steep (preferred masters ). I only finish my bachelors next summer, but it did get me searching on a host of other Catholic charities.

Thanks for the link,

In Jesus Christ,

 

[vern_humphrey]

She wasn’t looking for a job. She went there specifically as a **journalist **to see if anything was amiss and she quit at the end.

Blessings,

Ahhhh – she went looking for a story, and had to find one, or lose four months of work.

That explains a lot.

 

[jmcrae]

She wasn’t looking for a job. She went there specifically as a **journalist **to see if anything was amiss and she quit at the end.

Blessings,

If you are looking for problems, you will usually find them. Nobody is perfect. There is a difference between an employee who breaks the rules and does immoral things, and an employee who, by following the rules, does immoral things.

It’s hard to know one way or the other in this case, since I am already prejudiced against that bank, but it is entirely possible that she was just in the beginner’s department, which is where you are going to see the most mistakes being made.

 

[Magicsilence]

Ahhhh – she went looking for a story, and had to find one, or lose four months of work.

That explains a lot.

jmcrae:

If you are looking for problems, you will usually find them. Nobody is perfect. There is a difference between an employee who breaks the rules and does immoral things, and an employee who, by following the rules, does immoral things.

It’s hard to know one way or the other in this case, since I am already prejudiced against that bank, but it is entirely possible that she was just in the beginner’s department, which is where you are going to see the most mistakes being made.

God Bless you both, and I bid you goodnight.

 

[vern_humphrey]

If you are looking for problems, you will usually find them.

Particularly when you get paid for finding them.

How much does a journalist get paid for finding there is no story?

(NB. This explains why “reputable” news agencies do things like attach model rocket engines to pickup truck gas tanks, run stories where someone says he “saw and smelled” nerve gas in Viet Nam, or claim that even if the document is a forgery, what it says is true – because it says so.)

 

[rlg94086]

Their requirements are a little steep (preferred masters ). I only finish my bachelors next summer, but it did get me searching on a host of other Catholic charities.

Thanks for the link,

In Jesus Christ,

What were you looking for? You aren’t expecting to be a middle to high level manager right out of university are you? You will need to start from just above the bottom (the bottom is reserved for no degree and no experience) and work your way up. In fact, most universities will want you to have some years of experience before starting a Master’s program.

 

[Sheeniac]

What would you like a defense of? The assertion that the majority of businesses use immoral means to achieve their goal of maximising shareholder wealth?.. I cannot see how any of these positions are not self evident.

YOU cannot see, but it is obvious reading the replies on this thread that I am not the only one questioning your so-called ‘self evident’ positions.

This is starting to come across as you not wanting to work, and finding a religious justification for it. Your mind seems made up and rather than consider what others are saying, you debate them.

So no reply will answer you… perhaps you should remain a professional student and go into academia. But, I think you will find moral issues there as well.

Or start your own business. Evidently, the world is crying out for honest businesses…

As an aside, not all car salesmen lie. I worked as a cashier at a car dealer in high school and college, and the guys where I worked cared about referrals and repeat business. So, no lies from them!

One of the salesmen bought a used car for his daughter. In 2 months the car had more problems than it was worth to fix. But such things happen even to new cars. There was no deception, the car just was not a good car.

Learning Christian charity might be an admirable goal for you.

 

[Magicsilence]

What were you looking for? You aren’t expecting to be a middle to high level manager right out of university are you? You will need to start from just above the bottom (the bottom is reserved for no degree and no experience) and work your way up. In fact, most universities will want you to have some years of experience before starting a Master’s program.

Actually, over here in the U.K, many, many graduates do start off in mid-high level managerial positions (so long as the course they did is worth the paper it is on).

I think we have more service orientated businesses in the U.S, so many graduates tend to get drawn towards managerial style work

I was only commenting that CSR had minimum requirements of:

• Completed Bachelors degree, Masters degree preferred, in International Affairs/International Development, Latin American/African/Asian Studies, Public Health, International Agriculture, International Management or related field
• Fluency in English and either French, Spanish or Portuguese. (Language will be tested during screening.)
• Minimum of 2 years overseas work experience in a developing country.

Now maybe I can get past the no masters with good grades from my Bsc, and perhaps do a blitz language course to get my french up to a very high standard, but I still won’t have 2 years work experience in a developing country.

These are the minimum job requirements for all job positions, so for a fresh Bachelors graduate they are a little hard to meet, no?

In Jesus Christ,

 

[Magicsilence]

YOU cannot see, but it is obvious reading the replies on this thread that I am not the only one questioning your so-called ‘self evident’ positions.

This is starting to come across as you not wanting to work, and finding a religious justification for it. Your mind seems made up and rather than consider what others are saying, you debate them.

So no reply will answer you… perhaps you should remain a professional student and go into academia. But, I think you will find moral issues there as well.

Or start your own business. Evidently, the world is crying out for honest businesses…

As an aside, not all car salesmen lie. I worked as a cashier at a car dealer in high school and college, and the guys where I worked cared about referrals and repeat business. So, no lies from them!

One of the salesmen bought a used car for his daughter. In 2 months the car had more problems than it was worth to fix. But such things happen even to new cars. There was no deception, the car just was not a good car.

Learning Christian charity might be an admirable goal for you.

Thankyou for the honest post Sheeniac,

I will work on my Christian charity.

In Jesus Christ,

 

[Al_Masetti]

The Royal Marines.

Good alternate to an immoral job.

 

[peary]

I graduate from university in Summer 2008, and am finding it morally taxing to think about what kind of a job would be pleasing to the Lord.

Most, if not all major/minor businesses are focused on profit maximisation and therefore (at least indirectly) serving the Devil , and as an employee it would be expected that one work towards the same goal (the nature of a capitalist society rewards those that increase shareholder value with higher pay etc…).

When the very basis of potential work environments is morally bankrupt, can one really work there with a clear conscience? Where are we, as Christians, supposed to go? Self - employment? Surely it is not a universal panacea?

It seems being a Catholic and having a job that pays enough to eat and sleep somewhere are awfully incompatible in this day and age.

If anyone has any suggestions, or advice, it’d be greatly appreciated.

In Jesus Christ,

**One of the great movements in the Church is bringing one’s faith into the workplace. It would be up to you to make sure that you yourself take the high road in whatever business you decide to enter as well as business decisions you may make. You don’t judge a company or the ones who are running it. Set an example.

 

[Al_Masetti]

**One of the great movements in the Church is bringing one’s faith into the workplace. It would be up to you to make sure that *you yourself ***take the high road in whatever business you decide to enter as well as business decisions you may make. You don’t judge a company or the ones who are running it. Set an example.

Absolutely right.

In “immoral” bureaucracies, I have personally witnessed all kinds of Christian, Jewish and Muslim support groups and bible and Koran study groups. I have seen individuals pin up crucifixes and pro-life literature [very carefully]. I have heard individuals wish God’s blessings on others.

The opportunities for evangelization and reinforcement are endless.

And even in a non-religious context, for example, you can make sure that vendors get paid on time, instead of interminable delays.

 

[Sheeniac]

And even in a non-religious context, for example, you can make sure that vendors get paid on time, instead of interminable delays.

I’ve started reading Archbishop Sheen’s Three to Get Married, and he states that one of the characteristics of Divine Love is to bring love to places where you cannot find it.

I think that general principle works here as well. The OP is being somewhat self-centered in his concerns, focusing on the lack of God and good in the workplace. Then you suggest that he act as a Light not kept under a bucket, and help bring God and morality into the workplace.

Just beautiful! Sometimes we all forget that we need to approach situations with ‘how does God want me to act so that I am in accordance to His will?’.

MagicSilence - be careful - you don’t want to be ‘burying your talent’ in the ground!

 

[Al_Masetti]

If you do a diligent search around your workplace, you may find a Catholic Church with daily Mass. A Mass around noon is quite commonly available. All you need to do is to quietly absent yourself from the “usual” lunch crowd and quietly (without advertising it) go to noon Mass. When “they” ask where you disappeared to, just say you went for a walk. [Gotta keep the waistline under contro, ya know.]

What will happen after a year or so, is that someone who’s faith is walking a tightrope, will come over and whisper … “I know what you do on your lunch hour.”

It’s a “program” of “quiet witnessing”.

I’ve started reading Archbishop Sheen’s Three to Get Married, and he states that one of the characteristics of Divine Love is to bring love to places where you cannot find it.

I think that general principle works here as well. The OP is being somewhat self-centered in his concerns, focusing on the lack of God and good in the workplace. Then you suggest that he act as a Light not kept under a bucket, and help bring God and morality into the workplace.

Just beautiful! Sometimes we all forget that we need to approach situations with ‘how does God want me to act so that I am in accordance to His will?’.

MagicSilence - be careful - you don’t want to be ‘burying your talent’ in the ground!

 

[anthony022071]

Magicsilence

< Anthony, I would have thought it necessary that action possess a medium? >

I’m not sure what you mean.

< And you express here exactly what I am trying to understand. When Catholics are called to make these decisions, are they making them? Or compromising? >

Most are probably compromising,although they are unaware of it,or would deny it. When it comes to making money,actions which would be considered immoral if money were not at stake become passable.

If this is really is what is happening, where are the programs of support from bishops? Homilies on finding a job to please the Lord? Retreats to help Catholic workers?

The morality of jobs and careers is not a major concern of the Church,although it may be in the future. People have to examine their own consciences,and the pope and clergy have to persuade them to do so. Pope Benedict knows the moral problems of capitalism and he occasionally speaks about it.

To me, it seems like the majority of Catholics do not acknowledge this problem? I don’t know exactly what that implication reveals?

It means we need money so much,are so dependent on it,that we are willing to do things on the job that we would disapprove of if money were not involved.

 

[otjm]

Thankyou for the honest post Sheeniac,

I will work on my Christian charity.

In Jesus Christ,

I appreciate your postings, if for no other reason than the entertainment they give. Not surprisingly, you have a student’s view of the world and morality, one that is devoid of any real experience.

I do not say this out of any meanness of spirit, or in any way to put you down; but you remind me of my youth, and the group I used to hang around with in college and post college. We were all so wise, so thoughtful, so knowing, and so capable of making black and white decisions in a grey world.

Sadly, much, if not most of what you say, resounds in judgementalism of others.

You wonder why, for example, a clothing shop may mark clothes up by a factor of three to five times what they cost from the producer (actually, from the jobber who sells for the producer).

Guess you have never worked in a clothing store. You have never had to pay a salary, which means that you not only pay the salary, but also the extra part of the Social Security taxes, and Workman’s compensation. Oh, and you pay triple net on the lease - did they teach you that in college? And you get to pay that whether or not you sell anything. Oh, and you get to buy the clothes before you can sell them; the jobber isn’t going to give you the clothes and then collect the price after you get a customer. By the way, the owner of the store needs a salary too; but they don’t get one until the clothes have been sold.

And who makes the best customer? One who has felt they were treated well by the employees (after all, they could go to another store and buy there), and you call that manipulation of the customer? What did you get your degree in - English?

Oh, and while we are at it, shoplifting (largely due to drug users, although not limited to them) means that the clothes you were going to sell, the ones you paid for, have “walked out the door”; which means that the profit on other items has to go, instead of profit, to just making up the losses. And then there are those who buy something, take it home and wear it, and bring it back - because they didn’t like it, or because they didn’t really want to purchase and own it, but only use it (designer clothes is particularly prone to this), or they found something wrong with it - perceived or real - and depending on the state laws, you may not even be able to sell this for basic cost (never mind the cost of the salaries, rent, etc. you have already paid to “sell” it in the first place). I could go on and on, but hopefully you are getting the drift.

Oh, and I suspect that for these “immoral” jobs, you are going to insist on an “immoral” salary; immoral because you do not seem to feel that you have to do really anything but are deserving of pay; certainly you would not have to do anything to help with this immoral profit you seem to think everyone is making.

Ah, youth. The impetuousness of it all.