so how do you make a living then?

[Lisabob]

In another thread people have begun getting side tracked and discussing the relative merits of some types of jobs so I figured I'd spin off.

 

Yeah, I teach political science for a living. There's lots of jokes out there about that, I've heard most, some are even funny. I like to tell people that I study the rats, I'm not one of the rats. And when you study rats, you tend to get a lot of negative feedback from people who are ill-disposed to rodents.

 

Still I admit I have to grin when people question the worth of doing what I do. (I have a cousin who always amazes me. In one breath he can condemn the fact that his teenage son's high school social studies teachers don't teach enough gov't and civics, and then he manages to make fun of what I do for a living not three words later. He is a stock broker.) See, I teach American Government to large numbers of first year college students from all walks of life. The overwhelming majority know so very little about our system of government that it hurts. Most do not know that Congress has two chambers, that the President is not directly elected, or what a primary delegate is, let alone understanding different views on policies (or even the existence of policies at all). Most want to blame the president for everything from the price of gasoline (and sugar) to natural disasters, to human disasters, and everything in between or nearby that has gone wrong in their eyes. Most do not vote and don't know how to register either. Most can't identify the basic ideas of either major party and have never heard of any third parties. Most can't find Canada on a map (remember I live in a border state, 30 minutes' drive from the border) and have never left the country, yet are quick to mock other countries as being sub-par.

 

When I teach American Gov't I am careful to present many viewpoints in a serious manner, not just my own, and students often do not know which party I support until after the final exam, when I will answer that question if they ask. I do not view it as my job to make party converts for any particular political party or ideology, nor do most of my colleagues view this as their job either. I do view it as my job to teach students the basics of how their gov't works, the pitfalls of assuming your side is always right and the other side are always idiots who crawled out of a hole for the first time last night, and the fallacy of assuming that there are easy answers to complicated problems. At the end of the course, students who pass will be able to hold an intelligent conversation about politics, understand what the heck the candidates for office are talking about, know how to get information about issues they care about, and make their views known to their elected and appointed representatives. They will have read the Declaration, some of the Federalist and anti-Federalist papers, and the Constitution (esp. the bill of rights), most for the first time in their lives. They will have participated in debates over current events and important Supreme Court cases. They also know a little bit about polling and what makes a good from a lousy poll, and what to watch out for when interpreting results. And they are likely to be better citizens or residents for it.

 

I love it when I have Eagle Scouts in class - and I can nearly always tell who they are - because most of them have learned a good bit of this somewhere before (think those citizenship MBs). I wish these MBs were required for all high school students and not just for boy scouts.

 

So yes, actually, I think what I do is fairly meaningful. Goodness knows I don't do it for the money, which incidentally is not anywhere near as much as what most people think I (or my colleagues) make. You're welcome to disagree but then I suppose that means you think we should probably do away with those three Eagle-required Citizenship merit badges, and the whole notion that the BSA teaches citizenship at all. After all, who cares, right?

 

That's part of what I do. What about you?

[hops_scout]

Lisa, great to hear a little about what you do! I'm just one of pesky first year college students here;) I came into college with 6 American History and 6 Political Science credits from dual-credit classes in high school. But I still have to take a Political Science class to fulfill basic University Studies requirements. I'm thinking about taking it online this summer, what do you think?

 

I look forward to graduating college with my Athletic Training degree and a Political Science minor

 

So I guess to answer your question, I'm a full-time college student and a part-time employee at the Rec Center and a part-time employee in a physical therapy clinic/fitness center at home.

 

****Sorry to sidetrack ALREADY****(This message has been edited by hops_scout)

[Trevorum]

hops, I'm confused.

 

In that other thread, you said, "I'm a First Class Scout so I am also a student in the 8th grade."

 

[scoutldr]

That was 5 years ago, Trev.

[OldGreyEagle]

Tempus Fugit

 

You may want to check the date of the post in question

[hops_scout]

Trev, same profession;) just got a promotion you know?

 

Apparently they reward for something...

[John-in-KC]

For a living.

 

I work for one of the major defense firms as a "military analyst." In my case, I work with two major warfighting simulations. Both of them are in the training realm vice the operations research realm.

 

To get there, I had to complete a full career in the Army, to include enough grad school to be approaching ABD status.

 

By military trade, I was an artilleryman and a fire support coordinator. I was able to work with the Air Force in a theater air command center or wing operations center as easily as I can adjust artillery onto a target.

 

In all my service, I worked alongside US Marines, who are probably the very best folk in all DOD. Certainly they are the best people in the Department of the Navy and the Armed Services it supervises! (P-3 tactical officers come right after Marines!).

[packsaddle]

I'm in a second career on the faculty at a university. First career was doing environmental research for the Army and having to explain to dumb heads all over the country that the Army was part of the Federal Government...no, I say to the person on the other end of the line.......the United States Government....of America....that's right. Thankfully, I never killed anyone but I sure had fun stepping around UXO on military bases for a while. THAT sure kept me mentally awake!

 

I'm a biologist by training but I specialize in aquatic resource topics. Now I'm terrorizing college seniors and loving it. For all of you who always had suspicions about university faculty....it's all true! You cannot believe how great this life is.

 

LisaBob, around here there's a popular joke about rats. The medical school has stopped using them as lab animals in favor or Yankees. Reason....Yankees are easier to find and you don't get as emotionally attached to them.

Man, that always gets some good knee-slapping eeehaaaaas around here!

[OldGreyEagle]

I understand the quandry Pack, I mean how do you find a Yankee that isn't already riddled with steroids already?

[Gold Winger]

I'm a professional escort which explains my state of poverty.

[ccjj]

When my now 12th grade Eagle Scout was in kindergarden, the teacher asked what his mom did for a living. He replied, "She sells drugs." Then didn't say another word. When I got to school to pick him up that day, his teacher had some serious questions for me.

 

I told her that I am a Pharmacy Technician. I work for a chain pharmacy and have for over 13 years. Before that I worked for an independent pharmacy.

 

ccjj

[TheScout]

College Student, history major. I do Army ROTC. I am supposed to be an Engineer 2LT in three months.

[infoscouter]

Public librarian, for the last six years. Before that, 5 years at a private business library, 5 at an advertising agency library/research department, .5 as a sales rep/trainer for a library software company, 12.5 as a law firm librarian. That doesn't count the 10 years I spent as a student aide working my way up to library technician during jr./sr. high school and college.

 

My favorite G.S. merit badge was Books. I did some of my service for my Senior G.S. interest projects running a children's story hour at my hometown public library.

 

I have a 40-year career in libraries, and I'm only 52!

[Ohio_Scouter]

Systems engineer with 34 years experience in Air Force systems and logistics. We build various types of computer systems and analytical solutions for Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Defense Logistics Agency, and others.

[GernBlansten]

I make big rocks into little rocks. And the computer in the day room is only available during evenings.