Thursday, February 24, 2005

A Life Less Valuable?

Well I guess I survived the trip to the grocery store last night. Actually, it wasn't as bad as I expected. Nicci and I both just wanted out of there so we didn't waste time 'shopping'. I'm all better now, thanks.

My friend Kris came into the office this morning and asked an interesting question. She asked, "At what age did my life become less valuable?" She was referring to how the schools and universities closed today 'just in case' the snow got too bad. But most places don't. Most employers don't care when the weather gets too crappy for travel. They just care that you show up.

I thought it was an interesting question because, as adults it seems like our well being is less of a consideration the older we get. Yeah, yeah, I know that supposedly the older we get, the wiser we get, which means we should be better able to judge for ourselves what's safe and what's not. But that isn't true for everyone. (Yeah, you know I'm talking about you!) So I guess we are moving toward being expendable as we get older. Weird thoughts, eh?

It's been a busy morning, so I'm just now getting a chance to catch up with the blog world. I hope to see more audioblogging out there. It is kinda fun to do. But be forewarned, it's pretty addicting.

8 comments:

a beer sort of girl said...

Spacebrain cracks me up. "Soylent Green....is....PEOPLE!"

OK, I have an alternative view point on this. It's not that anyone's life becomes LESS valuable. It's that with every year, you get that much more freedom. Kids have to do what they are told. Ridiculous things are put into place every day to protect kids, people, morons, from themselves. They aren't smart enough to make their own decisions. We, on the other hand, are considered intelligent enough to make our own decisions. Don't come to work, if you don't want. You behaviors aren't dictated anymore. Make your own choices.

grace said...

funny because... i don't feel like i have more freedom. i feel like i have less...

Amanda B. said...

Gee, I remeber back in the day when we would have school during a blizzard. We'd have to walk to school five miles uphill both ways. Barefoot. With barbed wire wrapped around our feet for traction. Oh, that wasn't me. You would think some of the people I see in the ditches were mature, wizened people who know how to drive in snowy conditions. Gawd knows they've lived here most of their lives. But then there's arsles in SUV's that think since their vehicle is 4 wheel drive, it is impervious to ice. Then you see them in ditches wondering why it didn't help. Then I drive by and wave from my little 4 banger turdmobile.

SJ said...

Soylent Green is people!!!

Lars said...

The only thing that sucks about us being able to decide if we come to work or not is we call in and say we're not coming because it's too dangerous and there goes 8 hours PTO...where if they call off work or excuse anyone then that's a different story.

Sometimes here at work you'll miss the morning or the whole day because it's bad and the next day they decide that it's ok to not use your PTO for that...well us jackasses that DID come in to work because we didn't want to use our PTO are eff'd because how were we suppose to know we'd be excused if we didn't come! huh? huh?!

Joanne said...

Live in Alaska. They don't close the schools for anything. (Unless it is below 50 below at which time really EVERYTHING is closed anyway.) When I taught there, the kids were allowed out at recess until 30 below. You lower 48 types are just softies. :) And now that I've returned unfortunately I'm a softie too.

Amanda B. said...

At my work, People that decide not to come in use PTO time, Whereas people that come in and are told to go home get paid for the day. We get rewarded for risking our lives. But then again, my company sent 355 of us on a paid cruise last year to Cozumel so noone really complains.

Amy S. Petrik said...

yah my work sucks. they actually have the nerve to come over the intercom to tell us all that just because it is below freezing temps out and it blizzard is sweeping thru the vast prairie...we can all go home ONLY IF WE USE A VACATION DAY otherwise work as if you can actually see across the street let alone two feet in front of you. reason 9,291 to leave that hell hole.