tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post1013243935648031777..comments2024-03-27T21:23:40.339-04:00Comments on Chemjobber: Just to send it on down the line: is being a chemist meaningful? Chemjobberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-59408162361559292462015-08-02T19:21:23.208-04:002015-08-02T19:21:23.208-04:00Moral of the graph: Go to med schoolMoral of the graph: Go to med schoolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-6344494723272679472015-07-23T20:23:08.177-04:002015-07-23T20:23:08.177-04:00Thanks for that link. Seriously, I like that.Thanks for that link. Seriously, I like that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-20795409876850745922015-07-23T20:22:05.894-04:002015-07-23T20:22:05.894-04:00If my projects are successful, Meaningful to the b...If my projects are successful, Meaningful to the bottom line, perhaps. Interesting at times. I really question, who, if anyone actually benefits from my work. Then add to that the corporate bs, I really question my career choice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-8946518237191474152015-07-23T15:54:51.160-04:002015-07-23T15:54:51.160-04:00On closer inspection, perhaps not so questionable....On closer inspection, perhaps not so questionable.CMLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-2981545218320796902015-07-23T15:32:16.501-04:002015-07-23T15:32:16.501-04:00Ew. Noxious link to questionable hero. I'm goi...Ew. Noxious link to questionable hero. I'm going to go wash my hands now. CMLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-69745854973086580802015-07-23T15:10:45.815-04:002015-07-23T15:10:45.815-04:00Most people aren't working on those problems, ...Most people aren't working on those problems, though - the people with more common jobs you cited aren't really doing much more to help those problems, and may be hindering them (digging our hole deeper); while they may have more contact with other people, the level of care and meaning for humanity they have may not be much greater than zero. Under your definition, few people have any meaning in what they do, which will probably make meaning of that sort irrelevant for most people (if they can't get it and do what they need, then they will probably ignore it or satiate it other ways, and that form of meaning won't be so important to them).Hapnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-23826818422369879452015-07-23T14:53:24.937-04:002015-07-23T14:53:24.937-04:00I think helping make drugs for desperately sick pe...I think helping make drugs for desperately sick people, even knowing most of what you do will fail, is pretty meaningful (maybe making drugs to treat submental fullness or ED is also, no idea). It is a pity that society at large doesn't share that belief and rewards the Khardasians of the world much much more handsomely than the Sharpless' or the Barans, though I'm sure all the above are doing OK.<br /><br />Now those who trade pieces of paper back and forth (cf. https://twitter.com/gselevator?lang=en), those are the real heroes!biotechtoreadornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-1658800840017868912015-07-23T13:57:51.557-04:002015-07-23T13:57:51.557-04:00Meaningful? I'm not sure. Do I think what I do...Meaningful? I'm not sure. Do I think what I do is important? No, but for the most part, I enjoy it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-12324980392886643792015-07-23T12:53:30.112-04:002015-07-23T12:53:30.112-04:00There are jobs outside of chemistry that I could d...There are jobs outside of chemistry that I could do that would pay more, but I would be sacrificing some of my self-respect. Is that still effort justification?NeHnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-10909948243829674142015-07-23T12:15:09.029-04:002015-07-23T12:15:09.029-04:00An inverse correlation between pay and "high ...An inverse correlation between pay and "high job meaning" could be effort justification--a term psychologists use for the idea that if you're doing something without getting paid a lot for it, you must really, really believe in it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-63271701669097471242015-07-23T11:50:44.419-04:002015-07-23T11:50:44.419-04:00Understanding biology (i.e. studying disease) is p...Understanding biology (i.e. studying disease) is pretty meaningful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-26860263549495488632015-07-23T11:45:35.852-04:002015-07-23T11:45:35.852-04:00Nope. I feel I could make a pretty good argument ...Nope. I feel I could make a pretty good argument that if youre not working on the real problems (energy, clean water, food), then being a chemist is pretty meaningless.<br />Feeding/housing the family - I can get behind that, but I would ultimately say that your local plumber/contractor/waiter/etc serves society better than I do. What a bummer man - sorry to harsh your mellow this morning.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-47390920881118715242015-07-23T10:32:35.910-04:002015-07-23T10:32:35.910-04:00Funny... I can't find "teachers" any...Funny... I can't find "teachers" anywhere. Just "teacher assistants." And even though the median pay is 31,000 less than for "chemists," 82% still report "high job meaning." NeHeNThnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-69243655889583777542015-07-23T10:24:26.086-04:002015-07-23T10:24:26.086-04:00The "chemistry" aspect of my job is less...The "chemistry" aspect of my job is less meaningful to me than the people that my work affects. (Loosely speaking, I am in education.) I've had to lower my threshold and alter my definition of "fulfillment," but it's working out.NeHeNThnoreply@blogger.com