Defining ourselves by our jobs
https://peth.me/blog/2021/07/why-we-define-ourselves-by-our-jobs/
All too often we find ourselves in a familiar conversation that starts with, “so what do you do?” The question is inherently asking about work one of the defining details that most people use to define themselves. This question is not new, though it is now no longer as easy to answer as it once was when our names defined what we did.
...it feels natural to see a person’s profession as a defining detail of who they are. It can be a clue into their values, interests or background (or simply help two strangers pass time at an awkward cocktail party). But many of us have come to actually define ourselves by our occupations – which often comes at our own expense.
Though there is far more to our lives than just work, that I would suggest is a far more important part of our lives. After all, we need to ask how will we measure our life in our final days? Will it be by the profession that we had or family, experiences and friends?
The BBC has a great article on why we define ourselves by our jobs.
© 2011-2021 Sam Petherbridge