Do people really have any right to say they're unhappy with their jobs???

If you're like most people, odds are you have several friends who constantly harp about how much they hate their jobs, their boss, their co-workers, etc., Maybe you even do this yourself.



The fact is that the average adult spends 1/3 of his/her lifetime at work. People would never take a job they didn't like, knowing they have to spend so much of their lifetime at that job. We all have choices.



We spend more time at our jobs than with our own families. We spend more time in our workplace than in our own home. So obviously then, people subconsiously choose the career that's most rewarding to them.



I mean sure, everybody has the right to dislike their co-worker(s) or manager. We have no control over who we work with, or who we work under. But we DO have control over what career path we choose to follow, and a person doesn't really have much right to say they dislike their job. Not only that, there are many people who don't even *have* a job, who wish they did.Do people really have any right to say they're unhappy with their jobs???
You are correct to an extent, but I think you're overstating an individual's free choice in the matter. There are plenty of external factors that could lead one to hate their job other than bad coworkers.



For example - say the job market is terrible (like now) and nobody wants to hire people to fill the position you're interested in. You've gotta pay rent, bills, groceries, etc. so you're forced to take something you're not interested in.



Another example - You want to be a doctor, but you're from a poor family, and although you got decent grades, there are hundreds of kids in the country who got similar grades and can afford tuition. You can't afford med school so you can't become a doctor.



Another example - You're working a satisfying job as a social worker or in a non-profit but the pay isn't that great. Then one of your kids is diagnosed with cancer, and the medical bills are astronomical. You're forced to leave the job you love for a soul-crushing office job in a major corporation because you collect a higher salary.



Another example - there's a guy named Pete who wants to be a professional basketball player, but he's a 5'5'; slow, fat, white guy who gets winded running the courts and can't shoot to save his life. If he works hard can he fulfill his NBA dreams? Probably not.



Of course there are plenty of people who whine about their jobs for no good reason, but I think your idea is unrealistic and lacks nuanceDo people really have any right to say they're unhappy with their jobs???
The very fact that you hear many people who complain about their jobs and what they do.Not only tells you they hate what they do,but tells you that they are not doing what they wanted to do.Not everybody has the luxury to choose their career.Many factors contribute to this,such as necessity,parental influence,and compromise. Many people end up doing a job they dislike and are forced to continue it because as you said,';there are many people who don't even have a job,who wish they did';. A person who has a job they don't like,is really doing a disservice to society because they lack in doing the job they loath.When someone who loves that job,would do it so much better.What a great thought,to love what you do everyday so much.That is doesn't even seem like work.

Maybe if everyone caught on to this theory,we wouldn't have mean cops who hate drivers,or mean and nasty public service workers who deal with people everyday.To the drive thru guy,who gets paid peanuts to stand in that one position all day and hear you grip about what you want to stuff yourself with today.
I think people have a right to say this.



It is easy to say people have a choice, but for many responsible adults, life is just not this simple. Lots of people are in jobs that they did not freely ';choose'; but they took because it was the only one offered to them, and they needed money to keep a roof over their kids' heads.



';There are many people who don't even have a job, who wish they did.'; - Well, why don't they stop moaning and get one then? You seem to think that any adult has the choice of any job, so these people (by your logic) clearly choose to be unemployed.



I personally suspect there are quite a few of these unemployed people who do share your opinion, and decide that it is easier to stay at home and live on benefits than even consider taking a job that they don't like.



I have more respect for the people who will do a job, any job, to support themselves and their families, even if they complain about it.



And on one final note - there are some people who say this that don't mean it. At some point in every career, no matter how much you love it, there will be stress. Complaining is a way of letting off steam and while it might not seem productive, can actually be very good for your health.
We have complete control over what career we want with our lives. People that say they ';can't'; do anything about their situation, lack the confidence and willpower to believe that they can. Doesn't matter about their economic situation or a past that ';set them back';. It's about the willingness to sacrifice lots of free time and get your azz moving to a better direction.