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In terms of career plans, I have sometimes thought about going into finance instead of doing science research, because I will be able to afford a more extravagant lifestyle and command more "respect" (there's that alpha-male, big-swinging-dick aspect to Wall Street). The question for me is, if my love for science wanes, what will there be to sustain me? How much is "respect" worth to me?

Here is the issue of social status. How much does society's opinion of you matter? It is easy to say status is worthless in a high school context, because it's all over after four years anyway. However, status in the "grown-up" world is with you your whole life. Feel free to chime in with input; I could use some help figuring this out.

By Joeb (Joeb) on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 12:55 pm: Edit

Addition to the last post: Has anyone thought of doing work that may not pay well, but involves alot of responsibility and making far-reaching decisions? Like public policy?

By Crimsonrider (Crimsonrider) on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 07:51 pm: Edit

I want to be a lawyer.
One the one hand, being a Lawyer is a highly respectable profession that pays well, one the other hand, most people see lawyers as conniving con men who live of the fat of society (and there are plenty of bad lawyer jokes out there).
I don't care what other people think, I want to be a lawyer no matter what people think of them. Not all lawyers are corrupt con men, and lawyers serve to protect justice and constitutional liberties.

Do what you want to do, if that means being a scientific researcher, or a Wall Street investor. You need to live for yourself. Being a researcher is definitely not a bad profession in the eyes of most people. The only issue I can see is pay. Wall Street will definitely pay you more, but what good is all that money when you dread going to work in the morning?

Prestige is nice, but my advice is to do what you really want to do, and be who you are.

By Qpc333 (Qpc333) on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 08:07 pm: Edit

Post deleted for violating Terms of Service. -Admin

By Neo (Neo) on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 08:14 pm: Edit

Um, to the original poster, investment bankers aren't anywhere near the top of the 'respect list', at least in the general public opinion.

You see, when people think of investment bankers, CEOs, Wall Street, etc. nowadays, they think of Enron, Martha Stewart, Worldcom -- See, Fraud/deception/Corporate Scandal. Bankers don't exactly conjure up images of decency, ethics, and moral bearing. They're kind of like lawyers that way -- people turn their noses up at them.

That "alpha male big swingin' dick aspect" nonsense doesn't hold up anywhere outside of a male bathroom in business school. It reeks of insecurity and illusion, not to mention a gross amount of sexism.

When you tell people (people, not your peers from grad school)you're a banker or work in a high-paying business firm, they might think of you as wealthy, but they aren't going to think "role-model" or "fine citizen", because it's primarily a profession where people get rich by climbing on the backs and stepping on the faces of the working class. Not all investment bankers are bad, but if you're primarily concerned with attaining respect from the avg. person on the street, then you're barking up the wrong tree.

From what I've read, in 2003/recent times, the most respectable professions (through public perception and opinion) have been:

Teachers
Firefighters
Doctors
Scientists.

No lie. People don't think much of politicians.

The thing of it is, if you do it because you want to, then that should be all the convincing you need. But if you're doing it because that's the only way you can see people respecting you, then you've got more to work out than your future profession.

By Mundanesundays (Mundanesundays) on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 10:48 pm: Edit

grown-ups are yucky. politics, wall street...how is that anywhere near as cool as pirates?
i want always to be a little boy and to have fun.

By Shanbangs (Shanbangs) on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 10:55 pm: Edit

Anyways. Might i add college professor? Esteemed Film Director? Pulitzer-prize winning author?

If you want to talk about society's opinion of you, read Kurt Vonnegut Jr. or Chuck Palahniuk.

By Neo (Neo) on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 11:00 pm: Edit

Peter Pan...

I'll be one of the lost boys!

....

To the poster above me, I agree on the directors, professors thing. Occupations that help humanity are looked upon kindly by humanity. Occupations that by their very nature take advantage of, manipulate, or prey upon the ignorance of humanity aren't.

See: Media 'journalists'.