Tonight Bill and I watched Coal on Spike TV. It's a reality show about coal miners that we've been following. I have always known that coal mining was tough, but the show really brings home that point. When I have a bad day at work, I can still thank God I am not a coal miner. Of course, the trapped Chilean miners a while back probably also contributed to my perspective.
In addition to being incredibly dangerous and hard on the body, coal mining is stressful. If you don't bring in enough coal, you are in trouble. It's all about quantities--not effort. It doesn't matter if your equipment goes down. You still have to find a way to bring in your quota. Sometimes I get nervous for these guys just watching.
As I watched tonight, I kept thinking about how glad I was that my job is not that stressful. Then I wondered what these guys would think if they watched a reality show about my job--being a college professor. I wondered if they'd think I was lucky I didn't have to go underground and risk my life every day to make a living. I wondered if they'd think I was spoiled because I don't punch a time clock and can often take off early on a Friday. Or maybe they'd be glad that they didn't have to work at home on weekends, as I often to do finish grading papers or edit a research article. I would guess coal miners generally can't take work home.
But then I wondered if they would think that lecturing to over 100 students, presenting my research at conferences, and giving the welcome speech at orientation were stressful tasks. Coal mining seems stressful to me, but maybe certain parts of my job would seem stressful to other people.
Of course, public speaking (which I do quite a bit of) isn't a life or death situation. However, I often read that more people fear public speaking than death. In general, I like public speaking. I don't find it nerve-wracking. (I do find other aspects of communication nerve-wracking, such as ordering a pizza by phone, but I'll explain this another day.) As a high school and college student in speech classes, I never expected speaking to crowds to be such as large part of what I do. Somewhere along the line, I became comfortable with it. This makes me wonder if coal miners somewhere along the line become comfortable with risking life and death in the mine on a daily basis.
The educational opportunities I have been given (along with some hard work, of course) allow me in many ways to have an "easy" job. I see my job as easier than jobs that require little education, such as coal mining, detasseling (if you don't know what this is, you have never lived in Iowa), and even waitressing.
I will make my case. There is a temperature problem in the building where my office and classrooms are. My office has occasionally been over 80 degrees in the summer. I came home from teaching in a very warm classroom this spring and told my husband that it was just "unreasonable" and "I didn't know how I could be expected to effectively teach in such conditions." I've also complained that I have to keep a sweater in my office for days when it's ridiculously cold. What would the coal miners say if they heard me complain about this? If they were to call me spoiled and unappreciative, they would have a point.
I am a college professor who is glad she is not a coal miner. It seems obvious to me that my job is more desirable than working in the mines. However, are coal miners glad they are not college professors? Or do they envy me and agree that being a college professor is more appealing than being a coal miner?
I'd like to think that there are no good or bad jobs, just jobs that are and aren't good fits for individuals, but I'm not sure that's the case. There are some jobs in this world that I just can't imagine are a good fit for anyone. I think coal miner might be one of these jobs just due to the danger involved. I can't say that I think being a prostitute is a good fit for any person.
In sum, the good news is that I think my job is superior in many ways to other jobs. I say this not because I'm smug and see myself as better than others. I think I have a great job, and I hope that others think the same about their own jobs rather than about my job. If you are a retail clerk and think that's the best job in the world, that's ideal.
The next time you hear me complain about my job, which will probably be within the next 72 hours, please remind me that I am not a coal miner and refer me to this blog.
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