Alienation in the workforce is common in every level and type of work. However alienation is not always present in the blue collar jobs some would assume cause estrangement because of their repetitiveness. Denise Barber, a steelworker, echos the Dalai Lama in the book Gig: "this job is no more meaningful than any other job except it means something to me." (Barber, 43) Through Barber's involvement in the union and taking college classes at work she is not alienated from her work. She speaks of the need "to organize to have a good work environment" (Barber, 41) She feels challenged and has good friendships with many of her co-workers. Barber asserts "So this is a good job. I don't hate my job now." (Barber, 41)
Natasha Werther, a Kinko's "co-worker," is quick to claim that her company spends a lot of time "indoctrinating you into the Kinko's philosophy." (Werther, 72) While she recognizes this, she also admits she gets swept up in the excitement herself. "I do it too sometimes. It really works-I think its amazing" (Werther, 73) She admits " It's very, very dull. But that's kind of what I like about it." (Werther, 74) Clearly she is not alienated from her job, despite its simplicity. I think this is the case because she deals with the same customers over and over again and likes them. She defines them as the type of people "that just want them to be nice to them...its so sweet." (Werther, 75) I believe Alienation is dependent on the individual's thinking, much like the determination that a job is a calling. I am finding myself agreeing with the Dalai Lama more and more.
"There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness." -The Dalai Lama
You could surely write an essay that attempts to defend the Dalai Lama's theory about achieving a calling, as long as you address the counterarguments to it. Could your own job at the toy store, for example, be a calling? Perhaps you can both agree and disagree with the Dalai Lama.
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