This is something I've been pondering/struggling with since high school. Around when the concept of "dream job" reared its ugly head. It's true that career has replaced faith as a vocation in most young people's lives here in America. But career, unlike faith and religion, isn't reliable. What happens when your vocation is ripped away by being laid off in a recession? I am slowly accepting that what I want to invest in are constants that can't be taken away so easily - love, knowledge, connection. And just hope that I can find work I don't hate to support those things.
Yes Josie! This is so real. The fact that career has become this main source of meaning now, as if it's supposed to save us. It's was like society simultaneously pulled the people away from religion while making them more reliant on the system.... a capitalist notion stripping of us of the understanding that we do need those deeper/ more real/ more important things, and thats what will actually sustain us. Thanks so much for sharing this <3 you have a brilliant mind
Hi Nora! This is my first read on substack! I want to start an architecture blog myself and yours is really inspiring even though I've yet only read a few of your articles. I'll probably will read lots more of your blog the coming months.
To comment on this article, I definitely been there. But interestingly, I have a little bit of a different approach. My muscles actually did "get tired of the stream" and I had to give in, floating back to the shore.
At first, very disappointing but looking back, this was - in my particular case - actually a good thing. The (architecture) office gave me the structure of a '9 to 5' work week. Regular productive hours mentally did me quite well as opposed to the 'irregular creative days' I had before which were not very productive for me since I struggled to find my creative routine. I needed the structure.
The office life gave me peace and - counter intuitively - more 'head space' for my creativity. Who would have thought!? Plus, I learned a lot from more experienced architects - tools and lessons I can now use for my own creativity. I really feel that I found my vocation by accepting the office route.
Anyways, nourish that vocation of yours! There are lots of ways to Rome!
Hi Tim! Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment. I totally understand where you're coming from. Having too much time to yourself can definitely be a setback in achieving what you need to. I agree I have to have productivity in some arena in order to feel productive creatively.
This is something I've been pondering/struggling with since high school. Around when the concept of "dream job" reared its ugly head. It's true that career has replaced faith as a vocation in most young people's lives here in America. But career, unlike faith and religion, isn't reliable. What happens when your vocation is ripped away by being laid off in a recession? I am slowly accepting that what I want to invest in are constants that can't be taken away so easily - love, knowledge, connection. And just hope that I can find work I don't hate to support those things.
Yes Josie! This is so real. The fact that career has become this main source of meaning now, as if it's supposed to save us. It's was like society simultaneously pulled the people away from religion while making them more reliant on the system.... a capitalist notion stripping of us of the understanding that we do need those deeper/ more real/ more important things, and thats what will actually sustain us. Thanks so much for sharing this <3 you have a brilliant mind
Hi Nora! This is my first read on substack! I want to start an architecture blog myself and yours is really inspiring even though I've yet only read a few of your articles. I'll probably will read lots more of your blog the coming months.
To comment on this article, I definitely been there. But interestingly, I have a little bit of a different approach. My muscles actually did "get tired of the stream" and I had to give in, floating back to the shore.
At first, very disappointing but looking back, this was - in my particular case - actually a good thing. The (architecture) office gave me the structure of a '9 to 5' work week. Regular productive hours mentally did me quite well as opposed to the 'irregular creative days' I had before which were not very productive for me since I struggled to find my creative routine. I needed the structure.
The office life gave me peace and - counter intuitively - more 'head space' for my creativity. Who would have thought!? Plus, I learned a lot from more experienced architects - tools and lessons I can now use for my own creativity. I really feel that I found my vocation by accepting the office route.
Anyways, nourish that vocation of yours! There are lots of ways to Rome!
Hi Tim! Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment. I totally understand where you're coming from. Having too much time to yourself can definitely be a setback in achieving what you need to. I agree I have to have productivity in some arena in order to feel productive creatively.
Glad to connect!!