Feb 5, 2024
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I work and live in the Washington, DC area. This is what people ask. Even with a more open ended question, people tell you about their work. Some people are genuinely passionate about their work and want to tell you about it. Others want to know what they can get out of being acquainted with you.
Feb 6, 2024
I think it really depends on who is asking and why. when I tell people what i do for work I usually laugh it off, talk about it for like a minute, and say "it's a job" or something light. I think it depends on the level of seriousness that someone holds their career over other aspects of life - I don't center my personality around my career, but I think some people do and it becomes obvious when this question comes up w/ someone you don't really know.
and yes so many people are so much more than what they do for "work". i think it's a good gauge of someone's personality to see how they respond, not really with what. and I don't really mind when people ask me the question tbh because I don't treat it as a sort of caste system. and if someone I'm talking to does then we won't align as people
Feb 6, 2024
I totally agree with the sentiment of moving beyond the conventional “What do you do for work?” ques. ... like you mentioned, the delivery and intent behind the question play a crucial role...
I’ve found that asking more open-ended questions like... “so, what keeps you busy?”.. or “What’s been keeping you occupied lately?” allows for a broader range of responses. This way, the conversation can naturally shift towards work, hobbies, or any other interests, giving the person the freedom to share what truly matters to them at that moment. It enables a more inclusive dialogue, where people can choose to express themselves about anything rather than just their professional stuff.
Feb 6, 2024
i agree with this strongly, the question frames the person asked into the context of their shoebox in the neoliberal capitalist closet—and if we’re to be moving in a post-work direction as a society, which i deeply believe we should (i.e. towards a world in which a work culture is more optional and less enforced), this question ought to be filed away and left behind to the twentieth century
Feb 5, 2024
It can be wordy, and make me feel like some sort of insufferable professor at a dinner party (so it definitely depends on the delivery), but I always opt to ask "what do you do?" but then immediately follow it with "for fun, for passion, for joy, for money". That way they know I don't just want to hear about their god damn boring ass job. It also allows people to talk about their job either as a passion or as shit they just jump through hoops for in order to receive a paycheck. Some people love it, others, you can tell, are a little uncomfortable because all they have to talk about are their jobs. I also sometimes ask, "how do you spend your time?" If I feel like being less wordy. But the notion of spending your time is also so inherently steeped in capitalist notions that it kind of makes me cringe, but then agains sometimes you need to bridge that gap and use the vocab of the system to engage with the system.
Feb 5, 2024
