I would like to be paid like a plumber

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For instance: in our society, there seems a general rule that, the more obviously one’s work benefits other people, the less one is likely to be paid for it. Again, an objective measure is hard to find, but one easy way to get a sense is to ask: what would happen were this entire class of people to simply disappear? Say what you like about nurses,... See more

David Graeber • On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber (366ES) — Atlas of Places

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I would like to be paid like a plumber: I do the job and you pay me what it's worth. The record company will expect me to ask for a point or a point and a half. If we assume three million sales, that works out to 400,000 dollars or so. There's no fucking way I would ever take that much money. I wouldn't be able to sleep.

I’m not sure that it is a human right to be able to earn a living from your art. I think that art is incredibly valuable, but you have to provide value in a society.

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An idea that pervades work culture is the concept of the ‘real job’. The phrase implies it is something tangible and objective, but in fact is anything but. How can we define a ‘real job’? Working between the hours of nine and five? The pay? The place of work itself? There are many lucrative careers that do not fit into a neat category, and many

Also just want to tag on that your work is kind and generous. Money is just a clunky way to show appreciation for it. I don’t mean that in a glib way like “art is priceless” but what you’re doing isn’t just aiming for some aesthetic, you’re delivering honesty and kind intention through hilarity. It’s emotional labor and it’s valuable in a