Does Your Job Define You?

Nothing is lamer than small-talk. 

"Crazy weather we're having, huh?"

"How 'bout those (insert sports team here)?"

"Have you seen 'The Artist'?"

As boring as these questions are, they are all pretty harmless. This isn't a joust of the minds here, we're just trying to figure out if we both like Radiohead.

There is one question, however, that I think is really damning:

"So, what do you do?

"What do you mean? Like for fun? Oh, like, my job? I'm a 'blah blah blah doesn't really matter'"

This question speaks to what I believe is especially wrong with our value system: We have become defined by our jobs. People are quick to judge us based on what we do for a living. And when we do that, we blow an opportunity to find out what really makes someone interesting. 

I'm a custodian, but I also make fine, boutique-class rocking horses.

I'm a computer repair technician, but I'm also working on a series of science fiction novels.

I'm a branch manager for a bank, but I'm also training to be a competitive row boater person, whatever, thingy.

Me? I do technical consulting for a small business. But that's not who I am. I have aspirations. I like to write, and would love to do that professionally. In fact, I'm working on a script right now about a guy in a rock band that....

Way more interesting than network security schemes, huh?

I know I often complain about society, but seldom do I provide solutions. I have one here. Instead of asking, "What do you do?", how about asking, "What do you want to do?"

The possibilities are infinitely more exciting.