The Artisanal Worker
Much is discussed these days about the Generation X or Y worker, who bounces around from job to job rather than works his/her way up a standard career ladder within a company, takes a long time to reach his/her peak performance in the workplace, and values a fun and balanced life over a power career. This sterotypical depiction fits well with a life of equal sharing in some respects and works against it in other respects.
What works well is the desire for balance and fun over worldly accomplishments or acquisitions. What doesn't work so well is the job hopping and the delay in career decisions. An equal sharing lifestyle works best when both parents can scale back at work, but yet still make enough money to enjoy their balanced lives. This type of lifestyle usually requires that you don't wait until your 30s or 40s to land a job that pays well. Working hard and establishing yourself as an excellent and loyal employee in your 20s pays off later when you are ready to scale back and make room in your life for marriage and parenthood.
I think of the ideal equal-sharer as an artisanal worker. Artisans work hard to learn their craft, putting in long hours and intense training time to become extremely good at what they do. They generally love what they do. They stay in their fields for decades, becoming ever more proficient and well-known for their artistry. They don't make much money at first, but as they mature in their expertise, they command bigger and bigger prices for their work. They are valued more as they age because they are so efficient and masterful.
An artisan doesn't have to be a world-class sculptor. You can be an artisan at anything that fits well with your interests and passions. You give to the world by your experience and expertise, and you receive commensurate pay as a result. But if you move from job to job every 18 months, you are mostly only taking - taking from each company you work for, and not moving beyond the eager apprentice stage.
I'd like to impress upon our promising young Generation X/Y workers that sticking with a job has a big payoff that appeals to them - balance with the income to sustain it.
posted by Marc @ 2:18 PM
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