Self definition only in terms of work?

[gbear]

Thinking about the Venus project thread got me pondering how many on here would know how to cope if they lost their ability to work.

I see a lot of "Well what would we do then?" posts, and it got me to realize just how many of us, myself included, have a self definition that is mainly "We are that which we do." What's more we seem to value that which we do by how much that which we do enables us to horde material wealth.

How many on here could or do find value in doing things that don't bring in or produce more "stuff?" I'm curious if those activities are how you define yourself in your head. If you had to give a 5 word list to describe yourself, how many of those words come from your work self, and how many are from everything else? Any stay at home dad's/mom's here?

I guess a part of me was just a little sad that so many find the thought of having one's basic needs met as a threat. As one poster put it, isn't that what we work for now, some sense of retirement? There seems to be a trend in those thoughts that if one didn't "have to work" then it would make people lazy couch potatoes. That's odd to me because it's not what I would be doing if I wasn't at work.

Maybe I just think about these things because the prospect of not being physically able to work isn't so far off for me. I still think at some point many of us need to find ways to identify ourselves as more than a worker bee. Surely, there is more.

[The 12th Commandment]

Man, this one requires some heavy duty thought. I think my job will probably allow me to be around longer than I'll be productive so long as I don't do anything that's blatant. I don't know if I'll be able to hang around myself though. My sense of pride is going to clash with the need to work and I honestly don't know what I'll do at this point. I like to think I'll hang up my hat when I become a liability but how do you know you'll do something that final?

Part of me thinks about all the things I could get done if I didn't have to work. Fact is, work is about all I have energy for and the prospect of time to work on the house and visit with people more is a good one. But the lack of funds will result in a fairly drastic change in my lifestyle. Too many I don't knows, I know.

[Bang]

Five words that describe me:

I'm creative, funny, artistic, reliable, and loyal.

How many of those are wrapped up in my work is hard to say because my work is based on creativity, however, I rarely create anything tangible.

Occasionally I produce print materials for a client, or I'll create a design that becomes something tangible, like the logo for Code's baseball team that turned into hats and such. But most of what I do consists of colored pixels meant to be seen and used on the internet.

I'm fortunate enough to use my best qualities as my means to make a living, and I'm not threatened by the possibility that one day machines will run everything for us,,, ideas are what I produce. One day a machine may do all the producing, but it's still going to need the original idea.

I guess if i couldn't do that, I'd likely not know it... my mind is where all of my ability stems,, if my brain was damaged so much that I could no longer think creatively, odds are I'd be a veg anyway.

~Bang

[Elessar78]

I find it interesting that one of the first things asked when we meet someone new, probably after getting their name is to ask them, "So, what do you do?"

I've thought a lot about this aspect of our culture and tried to think of ways to have a conversation with a new person that doesn't start out with this question (or how to respond in a different way when this question is posed to me). And to it's awkward. I think we're so used to it that anything else seems out of place.

[Elessar78]

Part of me thinks about all the things I could get done if I didn't have to work. Fact is, work is about all I have energy for and the prospect of time to work on the house and visit with people more is a good one. But the lack of funds will result in a fairly drastic change in my lifestyle. Too many I don't knows, I know.

I was thinking about my work productivity yesterday (thanks Extremeskins.com) and realized that between Monday and Thursday, from the time I get home from work to the time I get ready for bed (6 PM-10 PM) I only have four hours to eat, exercise, do some work around the house, relax, work some overtime at home or for my business before it's time for bed.

It's tough because I want to be successful in my career (mainly for financial reasons, in order to provide well for my family) but that doesn't seems to leave much time for anything else.

But on the other end of the spectrum are my father and brother-in-law who are both farmers. I always think that if our financial structure collapsed they would be in the minority of people able to grow food and hunt. He also built the house my wife grew up in—how many people can say that?

[Thiebear]

I've way outlived my usefulness.

Hasn't stopped me yet.

[SnyderShrugged]

Personally, my "work self" is defined by my values which influence the "rest of myself". Though, I think I may use the term "work self" differently because I am not neccessarily referring to my paid employment. And interestingly enough, my paid work doesnt produce an item, rather it helps others produce quality products and services.

I grew up on a working beef cattle farm. "Work self" was virtually a constant persona.

I've found that a certain peace of mind takes hold whenever I feel that I am performing something valuable (both for myself or others).

I really dont think I could emotionally survive an environment where I sacrifice that value and have that work done by others or by a machine.

[Midnight Judges]

The way I'm wired, I need to have a sense of accomplishment. It doesn't necessarily have to be work. For example, I record music. If I didn't have to work, I would probably spend a lot more time playing and recording. If I achieved what I thought was a high level of quality, I would be satisfied regardless of whether or not anyone else liked to listen to it.

[Prosperity]

I haven't produced anything I am proud of yet