Kabul is just like any other city, only more so.....
Kabul is missing certain things which one would expect from a modern city. The restaurant scene is still in its infancy. The fact that many of the restaurants double as brothels does noting to improve the level of cuisine. However, progress is being made on this front. Of course we can't leave the compound after six, and this has seriously hindered my best efforts to become an authority on Kabul-gastronomique. I've been told that there is a soccer team, but there are no soccer hooligans vis a vis Manchester United. Which reminds me, Manchester aint doing so well this year. Of course, the prohibitions against alcohol and public drunkenness severely limit the possibilities for sporting enthusiasm. There is an active nightlife, which I see occasionally out the window of my landcruiser. However, most of the nightlife in the states is centered around courtship. Afghans have a ways to go before women will be allowed to go out to clubs at night for the purpose of picking up guys. I leave it to others to argue the relative merits of scantily clad, assertive women running around all night trying to get laid. Ok, enough exposition, I'll leave you with two things.
First, I want to hear from all of you on the following subject: What makes for a worthwhile occupation? A note of caution, any responses that sound remotely like "Whatever makes you happy" will be dealt with severely. Beatings are not out of the question. Nikita, don't even think of using this as an expedient for getting me back stateside. Secondly, if any of you need a really cool radio station, check out livestream from this Rochester, NY college station. Livestream radio is better than sliced bread.
First, I want to hear from all of you on the following subject: What makes for a worthwhile occupation? A note of caution, any responses that sound remotely like "Whatever makes you happy" will be dealt with severely. Beatings are not out of the question. Nikita, don't even think of using this as an expedient for getting me back stateside. Secondly, if any of you need a really cool radio station, check out livestream from this Rochester, NY college station. Livestream radio is better than sliced bread.
4 Comments:
You must answer two other philosophical questions before you can answer what a worthwhile job is. Who are you? and What do you Want? In looking at who you are, are you person that lives to work or that works to live. We have the the opportunity here in the US to choose our profession. A lot of other places in the world get stuck in the rut of having to work just to survive. I think you also have to look at what talents you have that would make you good at what you want to do. Are you good with a Rifle or is your place in Command. Questions Questions Questions
What do you want in life, and is your profession helping you get there. I met prostitutes in Japan that were earning 200-300 dollars per hour in a 12 hours shift. Mafia only came to collect twice a day and they barely took anything at all. So these gals were brining in as much as (conservative estimate) a 1000$ US a day. Many of them were supporting families in other less industrious parts of Asia, or even South America and Russia. All the morality aside, because the Puritans never went to Asia, they were doing an honest profession and supporting their families and themselves while they were doing it. So guess your just gonna have to beat when you get back but the bottom line is if the profession is worthwhile to you, and your satisfied with the pay and limited moral objections to it, it just matters whether its worthwhile to you based on the criteria from the previously mentioned philosophical question.
Your job should:
1. Not make you miserable.
2. Preferably not get you killed.
There's other factors, too, but those are the important ones.
And point of order: I never need an excuse to try to get you back stateside. I do that anyway. And hey, can I start forwarding my student loan collection officers in your direction yet?
The ideal job:
When you wake up, you feel good about leaving the house...
and when you go to bed, your guilt-free/fufilled enough to go right to sleep.
I like what Johnny said.
I don't think "occupation" and "job" are entirely synonymous. Studying, for example, makes for an excellent occupation, but a pretty crummy job. The jobs I'm aiming for these days are those that make me look like I'm working while in reality I'm learning something for my own benefit on my employer's dime. Win-win. That will be ideal until, of course, the definition of "worthwhile" changes.
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