I Just Work Here
I deleted the post from last week in which I complained about the disrespect (mockery might be a better word) I received from a hearing officer. After a day or two it sounded whiny. I still think that sitting for several hours in such a meeting is a waste of my medical degree, but then, so is much of what I do every day. So are the hours a cardiologist spends on the phone with insurance companies to get prior authorizations for heart procedures, and the hours doctors in private practice spend filling in billing forms, and so on.
Thoreau wrote, “You are paid for being something less than a man.” I see this is generally true. I get paid the (relative) big bucks here, and often I have to accept being something less than a man—that is to say, swallow my pride, or my ideals, my knowledge, or, at times, even my ethics and morals. I did less of that when I first got here, but, perhaps not coincidentally, I am paid better now. I am starting to see, however, the hot-spots where being less than a man is wearing on me, causing blisters as it were.
On a related note, I was doing a bit of perusing the other day and discovered a court case in which a client had sued GA for violating his rights. The rights violation in question: being awakened at 8am on weekdays. This case was first decided in superior court, but then appealed to Smallish State supreme court. I kid you not. In such a climate, it is hard not to think constantly about the likelihood of lawsuits.
Thoreau wrote, “You are paid for being something less than a man.” I see this is generally true. I get paid the (relative) big bucks here, and often I have to accept being something less than a man—that is to say, swallow my pride, or my ideals, my knowledge, or, at times, even my ethics and morals. I did less of that when I first got here, but, perhaps not coincidentally, I am paid better now. I am starting to see, however, the hot-spots where being less than a man is wearing on me, causing blisters as it were.
On a related note, I was doing a bit of perusing the other day and discovered a court case in which a client had sued GA for violating his rights. The rights violation in question: being awakened at 8am on weekdays. This case was first decided in superior court, but then appealed to Smallish State supreme court. I kid you not. In such a climate, it is hard not to think constantly about the likelihood of lawsuits.
posted by Turbo at 3:06 PM
3 Comments:
Wow. What's next? I wonder if I could sue the people in the house behind my apartment for leaving their outside lights on all night and causing my insomnia? How ridiculous!
For the record, your post didn't sound whiny to me....just honest.
However, I now feel a bit sheepish since I just put together a rather sarcastic, gumbly post last night. (thought it might prove theraputic at the time! *grn*)
I think it was Utah Phillips who said something to the effect of, "You can't rent your brain out to someone else for eight hours a day and expect to get it back in the same condition you started with."
Unfortunately, NOT renting out our brains has, for those of us without trust funds, unpleasant side effects as well, or at least the spectre of them. I keep expecting this conundrum to solve itself, but that strategy seems unlikely to succeed. If you get any clues, please let me know.
My brain rents for considerably more than $8/hr, but if anything that just seems to give the lessees increased permission to abuse it. Perhaps I should require them to purchase the Loss And Damage Waiver. Also they should have to return it fully fueled, or pay a steep surcharge.
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