Socialism ......

[cegerer]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=573&e=5&u=/nm/20040917/od_nm/sweden_sickness_dc

[5axis]

Funny, I thought everyone worked 60-70 hrs a week like me?

Part of me is thinking "what a bunch of lazy f#ks". The other part is wondering if I am nutZ.

[bryanthompson]

Shouldn't suprise you... The top book in france is called "Boujour Paresse", which means "Hello Laziness".

Find it here: http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/2841862313/402-9088098-9512117
Looking for a translation, because i don't speak coward, err, i mean french.

PMSNBC article: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5698558/

[bryanthompson]

From the article:

. 1 You are a modern day slave. There is no scope for personal fulfilment. You work for your pay-check at the end of the month, full stop.
No. 2 It's pointless to try to change the system. Opposing it simply makes it stronger.
No. 3 What you do is pointless. You can be replaced from one day to the next by any cretin sitting next to you. So work as little as possible and spend time (not too much, if you can help it) cultivating your personal network so that you're untouchable when the next restructuring comes around.
No. 4 You're not judged on merit, but on whether you look and sound the part. Speak lots of leaden jargon: people will suspect you have an inside track
No. 5 Never accept a position of responsibility for any reason. You'll only have to work harder for what amounts to peanuts.
No. 6 Make a beeline for the most useless positions, (research, strategy and business development), where it is impossible to assess your 'contribution to the wealth of the firm'. Avoid 'on the ground' operational roles like the plague.
No. 7 Once you've found one of these plum jobs, never move. It is only the most exposed who get fired.
No. 8 Learn to identify kindred spirits who, like you, believe the system is absurd through discreet signs (quirks in clothing, peculiar jokes, warm smiles).
No. 9 Be nice to people on short-term contracts. They are the only people who do any real work.
No. 10 Tell yourself that the absurd ideology underpinning this corporate bull**** cannot last for ever. It will go the same way as the dialectical materialism of the communist system. The problem is knowning when...

[ubiquity0]

A friend of mine has just accepted a job in France. One thing I will say- that 8 weeks of annual vacation sounds a little better than 2.

[dd74]

The French have it made: 36 hr. work weeks, 8 weeks paid vacation per year, year off for maternity leave for a knocked-up wife and/or girlfriend.

Meanwhile we have carpel tunnel and heart disease among other stress/work-related incidents.

So much for the most powerful country in the world.

[ronb]

boys, the point of living is not to be working for the corporate overlords. what is true quality of life? Biggest house? to be a boulevardier is not a bad thing.

[cegerer]

"what is true quality of life?"

Apparently, in Sweden it's taking as many 'sick days' as possible.

[tabs]

Oh my Gawd I love it...somebody finally sumed up my philosophy ....of course I am not a wage slave.... I don't have to be...

When I get up in the mornining if it is still mornining my day is my own...I have developed doing nothing into an art, it's a zen thing really....

Boyz the game plan is to stop being a wage slave....it frees you for the finer things, like worrying about your portfolio and playing golf....

The old saying is it's not how much you make but how much you keep....you have to educate yourself on the financial markets so you at least know the rules of the game your playing..and make it harder to be taken by every flim flam artist in town...

Then you have to put your nose to the grindstone and start to save...the truth of the matter is the more you save early th more it compounds itself. So the next time the significat other wants to go on vacation just think...when I'm 65 do I want to be playing golf or be a greeter at Walmart to make ends meet.

Oh yeah....You owe the company you work for ...NOTHING.....they pay you a hand full of dimes (you can call it a salary if your delusional) for trading in your hours. The only way I would feel any loyalty to a company is if I die and they give everyone a half day off with pay to attend my funeral and lower the corporate flag to half mast....Your there working for yurself and not them...

The only thing you owe allegiance to is yourself, an maybe to your family (which can include your country I suppose). Otherwise don't fall into the trap of all the Rah Rah BS that gets heaped up in front of you......

[A Quiet Boom]

Tabs,

You're half right IMHO. Yes we should save as much as possible, educate ourselves about the financial market etc. But we should also take time to live while we are still young because we cannot say for certain that there will be a tommorrow.

I work extra hard at work and often put in long hours. There are two reasons for this. First I a family member and will be a partial owner once the company grows to an already agreed upon size. Second the extra hours provide extra pay which provides extra savings as well as extra fun.

I live in a modest house so that I can put more money into investments and fun things, I pay the max into a 401K that I actively manage myself. I invest in stock, bonds and mutual funds. I started my daughter's college fund before she reached 1 year. The list goes on. However, I'll never retire. Why? Retirement leads to death! I know a 76yr old millionaire, he works 5 days a week, exercises 3 nights a week and lives a very happy life. He works for zero pay since he is the founder of the company I work for and has passed ownership on to family. He works not for money but to keep his brain active and for the enjoyment he gets from teaching young guys like me. I want to be him someday.

The work ethic of the US is one of the biggest reasons we are a world leader and we shouldn't forget that. We must balance work with saving and pleasure for a full life IMHO.

[tabs]

Your not a wage slave you is de Massa Quiet....the overseer ...as such everything you do is for yourself...and it sounds like you have all the bases covered as best U can. That is all anybody can ask for.