Looking back, I can see that my mostly poor performance and tendency towards absenteeism was founded on the clear-eyed realization that whatever job I was doing was either destructive in its essential nature, or was more or less bullshit–writing reports and summaries that no one ever read, for example–or worse, meticulously editing printed materials that, had they never seen the light of day, the world would have been a better place. Teaching is another pure bullshit occupation in which, I am ashamed to say, I have participated.

In order for employment to work out well for you, the chief requirements seem to be an incandescent enthusiasm for lies and bullshit, a strong aptitude for multiplying the existing structure of lies and bullshit on your own behalf, a happy penchant for sucking ass, and an unconquerable belief that this will lead to material advantage–usually in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. The workplace, I’ve discovered, is unfriendly even to the diligent worker who is unskilled in and unconvinced by the above. In fact, it’s unfriendly to the diligent worker who does not actively and enthusiastically embrace all of the above.

As a result of this long and checkered career, I am now marginally employed at a job that is not very well paid, but allows me a lot of freedom.

Friends sometimes suggest other employment opportunites for me–presumably better ones, and certainly better paid ones. Although I’m frequently tempted, somehow I rarely get around to applying. The reason, I think, is that I no longer want to live my life like that. I’d rather be poor than be constantly immersed in and battered by the deadening, demeaning, and prehensile culture of the workplace.

An all this, in a nutshell, is why the objective of every sane person in this society is to avoid regular employment whenever the possibility presents itself: get that unemployment comp, workman’s comp, SS disability, or whatever.

While this is probably not an option for people with families to support, crack habits to support, or shopping habits to support, I heartily recommend avoidance of the traditional workplace–and preferably any workplace at all–to all others. What’s the point? As most will freely admit, they are working their asses off at jobs that ocmpromise or offend their basic values–and doing it for a pittance.

Back in early 70′s I was working with 2 weeks annual paid vacation. I wanted to take an extended 3 week vacation, and asked for the 3rd week without pay. My manager, said, “We don’t do that around here, but I will ask the V.P.”

The V.P. said, “We don’t do that around here, but I will leave it up to Curtis.” So I took the 3rd week off. They were pissed! They then sent a memo to everyone, saying not to ask for any time off that they did not have coming. That and a few other run ins with corporate management, and I new I was doomed. For this and other reasons, in 1978 I reinvented myself as an independent IT consultant. Since then I have averaged 3 months off a year. In the early and middle years I could turn down work. The last 6 or 7 have been much leaner, but we have always lived frugally, and can muddle along for 2 more years until I can take full SS and my wife early SS. We have saved a modest amount and have our home long paid for, and have no debt.

I remember, in those early 70′s there was talk of a shorter work week or year, I did not wait around for that to happen. Deciding to not work 50 weeks/year was the best life decision we have made. It has allowed us to have a life rich in travel and hobbies, while raising a son.