Today I got told that I am the...

[MikeH]

What meaning is there in getting shot in some middle east desert?

[Aeson]

There are still plenty of careers (or otherwise "work") that can be rewarding and meaningful.

[Jon Miller]

See Al, if you were quicker you would have noted that KH estimated that a hypothetical marine as ~150k$ (due to mercenary costs, this is probably undervalued a bit as countries want some of their own troops... mercenaries aren't as trustworthy). This is more than most actuaries and probably more than Kuci (right now). You could then say something about the market determining the best salary, and that the hypothetical marine was more valuable than Kuci.

But you didn't.

JM

[Darius871]

There are still plenty of careers (or otherwise "work") that can be rewarding and meaningful.

Sure, at first. Show me one person whose daily grind doesn't eventually get old, and I'll show you someone with Alzheimer's. It could take a year, it could take ten, but eventually every day will seem like the last. In the rare instances where that's not the case, I submit that it's a product of the individual deluding himself, not the job being an outlier.

That Albie's already observant enough to see there's no "meaning" to be found out there makes plain as day to me that he's poised to realize the same about the big green machine if/when he makes it through OCS and finds that it's more about paperwork and being on the butt-end of superiors' ego trips than Hollywoodized guts and glory, particularly when we're supposed to be fresh out of wars in a year or two.

[Darius871]

See Al, if you were quicker you would have noted that KH estimated that a hypothetical marine as ~150k$ (due to mercenary costs, this is probably undervalued a bit as countries want some of their own troops... mercenaries aren't as trustworthy). This is more than most actuaries and probably more than Kuci (right now). You could then say something about the market determining the best salary, and that the hypothetical marine was more valuable than Kuci.

But you didn't.

JM

Isn't the FMV of a mercenary very much distorted by the fact that they almost all already have the benefit of years of training and experience in the taxpayer-subsidized military? To compare the value of some college kid fresh out of OCS with that of a battle-hardened thirtysomething mercenary seems counterproductive to me, and I could hardly see the former ("marginally skilled" as KH put it) ever pulling in six figures...

[Jon Miller]

People place a high value on those willing to risk their lives. People with otherwise marginal skills increase their value quite a bit if they are willing to (as long as they can apply that willingness, by passing bootcamp for example). It doesn't matter that some people are more risk adverse than others, that some people will voluntarily (not even for money or fame!) risk their lives (this assuredly decreases the value placed on risking life as set by the market, as few in today's society need to risk their lives).

JM
(I could of course be all wrong, but this is what I first thought upon reading KH's post)

[MOBIUS]

What meaning is there in getting shot in some middle east desert?

Exactly, if you're going to join one of the armed forces, why not go for the cushy one and join the US Coast Guard. My g/f was seriously considering it as a route to getting free education etc, not to mention the fact that busting drugs smugglers off the coast of Florida appealed to her...

Which brings me to the second point, if you're going to join, make sure you don't waste your opportunity as the US armed forces throws loads of money at you (or at least used to) to do things like study at university for free - so they can bribe you into acting as target practice for whatever latest stupid war their govt has got them into...

Anyway, the Coast Guard sounds pretty cool...

[Aeson]

Sure, at first. Show me one person whose daily grind doesn't eventually get old, and I'll show you someone with Alzheimer's. It could take a year, it could take ten, but eventually every day will seem like the last.

"Get old" is a far cry from "mind-numbing, soul destroying". Even if we assume that once something "gets old" it will stay that way... which obviously isn't always the case. Fluctuations in the way a person views their work are natural and common... and those fluctuations can go either way. And even if something "gets old", it doesn't mean it can't still be meaningful while it's "old".

I get bit by fire ants every day... among a great many other inconveniences... and it's certainly gotten "old" (long ago)... but it makes the work more meaningful to me if anything. It's a constant reminder of the living conditions that exist here that I'm trying to help improve.

In the rare instances where that's not the case, I submit that it's a product of the individual deluding himself, not the job being an outlier.

"Meaningful" being a valuation by the worker, it doesn't matter if you feel it's delusion or not... it's "meaningful" if they feel it's meaningful.

--------------

Why spend the majority of your waking life doing something that doesn't hold any meaning for you?

[MOBIUS]

Good on you, Aeson, I genuinely respect what you're trying to do.

It takes courage to break away from the standard societal blueprint of joining the daily grind in an anonymous office etc...

[Aeson]

I've been lucky to have the opportunity. For most of my life I didn't (or wasn't aware of it at least). There's a lot of luck involved in landing in the right spot for you and that can change back and forth throughout life. Maybe I'll get to continue doing what i feel is best, maybe I'll end up having to go back and join the grind, or find another opportunity altogether. But even then I think there are rewarding careers still. I definitely would not stop looking, even if in the meantime I used it to pay the bills.

Certainly my dad seemed to love his job... even now that he's retired he does much the same work on a volunteer basis.

[Aeson]

I've been lucky to have the opportunity. For most of my life I didn't (or wasn't aware of it at least). There's a lot of luck involved in landing in the right spot for you and that can change back and forth throughout life. Maybe I'll get to continue doing what i feel is best, maybe I'll end up having to go back and join the grind, or find another opportunity altogether. But even then I think there are rewarding careers still. I definitely would not stop looking, even if in the meantime I used it to pay the bills.

Certainly my dad seemed to love his job... even now that he's retired he does much the same work on a volunteer basis.

[MikeH]

You can say that again.

[Aeson]

Ok, thanks! I was worried you'd ban me for spamming if I continued

I've been lucky to have the opportunity. For most of my life I didn't (or wasn't aware of it at least). There's a lot of luck involved in landing in the right spot for you and that can change back and forth throughout life. Maybe I'll get to continue doing what i feel is best, maybe I'll end up having to go back and join the grind, or find another opportunity altogether. But even then I think there are rewarding careers still. I definitely would not stop looking, even if in the meantime I used it to pay the bills.

Certainly my dad seemed to love his job... even now that he's retired he does much the same work on a volunteer basis.

[MOBIUS]

I think we get the message now...

But I have to agree 100%

[Kuciwalker]

he's a ****ing actuary. Am I in the twilight zone or something where a pencil pushing insurance person is so high and mighty

Sweetheart, I do more intellectually demanding tasks all day than you've done in your entire life. And the job isn't even that difficult!