At what age do you intend to retire?

[Badgers]

Dunno about this....

I like working, just not a huge fan of working for 'da man' and working inflexible hours.

Regardless of age (health aside) I would still find myself working, even if it was just part time or voluntary.

 

[upinsmoke]

I won't live until i'm old enough to retire at a normal pensionable age so as soon as the kids are totally independant i plan on giving up work and travelling and experiencing life more...its soon going to be 'my time' and i can't wait

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

That's not what i said. I said everybody has within them creative juices that can be used.

As for these labouring jobs you talk of, i am certain that many people like their jobs. Being a gardener, a toilet cleaner, a road sweeper, a window cleaner, any of these kinds of jobs, has one big attraction: no shit from other people. No office politics. No having to do what you are told to do even though it's wrong or stupid. I could go on. But people with these jobs have a great level of freedom in their lives.

Now I know you've never had one of these jobs.

The thing about being a cleaner, a sweeper etc, is that you have a shit job, you have no money, and yes, there is still 'office politics', but it often involves people who are stupid or insane, or both. Sometimes, your boss is one or both of those things. At least in an office, an insane boss has to rein it in a little, but if you're out working as a sweeper and your boss, the foreman, comes by every hour in a truck, he can do and say whatever he wants, because there's no one else around.

Often, the foreman or boss at these low level jobs, is someone who knows just a bit more than the sweeper, and therefore thinks that he was destined for greatness, but has been undermined by the world. As a result, he's bitter, and he takes it out on his subordinates.

Your attitude sounds a lot like the 'joy of labour' espoused by the monied classes, as applied to those beneath them.

 

[DotCommunist]

Now I know you've never had one of these jobs.

The thing about being a cleaner, a sweeper etc, is that you have a shit job, you have no money, and yes, there is still 'office politics', but it often involves people who are stupid or insane, or both. Sometimes, your boss is one or both of those things. At least in an office, an insane boss has to rein it in a little, but if you're out working as a sweeper and your boss, the foreman, comes by every hour in a truck, he can do and say whatever he wants, because there's no one else around.

Often, the foreman or boss at these low level jobs, is someone who knows just a bit more than the sweeper, and therefore thinks that he was destined for greatness, but has been undermined by the world. As a result, he's bitter, and he takes it out on his subordinates.

Your attitude sounds a lot like the 'joy of labour' espoused by the monied classes, as applied to those beneath them.

my word johnny, I find myself agrreeing with you

 

[scifisam]

Now I know you've never had one of these jobs.

The thing about being a cleaner, a sweeper etc, is that you have a shit job, you have no money, and yes, there is still 'office politics', but it often involves people who are stupid or insane, or both. Sometimes, your boss is one or both of those things. At least in an office, an insane boss has to rein it in a little, but if you're out working as a sweeper and your boss, the foreman, comes by every hour in a truck, he can do and say whatever he wants, because there's no one else around.

Often, the foreman or boss at these low level jobs, is someone who knows just a bit more than the sweeper, and therefore thinks that he was destined for greatness, but has been undermined by the world. As a result, he's bitter, and he takes it out on his subordinates.

Your attitude sounds a lot like the 'joy of labour' espoused by the monied classes, as applied to those beneath them.

Yep. There are reasons not many people want to do those jobs. Sure, if your workmates are pleasant to be around then it won't be so bad as a job, but that's it.

As to whether everyone has the ability to earn a living (even a paltry one) from their creative abilities - that is never going to be true. There's just too much competition, keeping 'wages' down. Even when someone is an extremely talented artist, musician, writer, or actor, with lots of experience and good contacts, working really hard to do well, they generally don't make a living at it.

So for those who don't have a huge natural talent, or any training, or contacts, or drive, I can't really see much hope for them earning a living out of their untapped creative abilities. Unless they've got a famous parent, of course.