If it isn't "sanuk" it isn't worth doing: working

[bao-bao]

I was uploading pictures to my album here this evening and suddenly realized part of why I've been in a mild funk since returning to the US a few weeks ago: I miss the sense of fun that permeates so much of everyday life there.

It seems the Thai can find the entertainment in almost anything... if it isn't sanuk (fun) it probably isn't worth doing. Here's an example:

http://upload4.postimage.org/1656624/PA100531W.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1656624/photo_hosting.html)

These guys were trying to break a tightly locked connection in some piping when I wandered by and stopped to watch. The only tools they had were the one-meter pipe wrench and their collective determination. The wrench slipped, the pipe jumped about with each attempt and still they kept at it, and the more ridiculous the situation got, the more they giggled and laughed about it; teasing one another, swapping places to take a crack at it until finally it broke loose, causing the one with the wrench to tumble ass over teakettle. Of course, this set them all off - and me with them.

If a group of workers here in the US were sent out to do the same job with the same tools (assuming they could muster up any determination) I can hear the chorus of complaints already...
"This isn't part of my job description!"
"Isn't it break time?"
"We need more guys for this!"
"I'm calling my union steward - this isn't right!"

I'm sure working life in LOS isn't ideal a lot of times - let's face it, a lot of it is downright brutal - and I know that sanuk can also equal irresponsibility sometimes, but if we could adopt some of their attitude... it might help.

That is a totally irresponsible and inaccurate evaluation of the American labor force. I am a member of the teacher's union now and I was a teamster long enough to draw a pension. At school I am paid for 6.6 hours per week day plus 3.3 hours for Saturday classes. However, I actually begin my school day at 6:15 a.m. and finish at 4:30, usually eating lunch at my desk while working, unless I have to be at a meeting. Then, when I get home, I usually put in a minimum of three additional hours grading papers and modifying lessons plans.

As a teamster during the recession in the 80's, we took a voluntary cut pay when RCA had its back to the walls financially.
When I worked on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, oil company managers preferred to contract their work out to us rather than assign it to their own personnel because we were more flexible and more reliable.

In 1994, Der Stern, the German magazine had an article citing the American worker as the best in the world because he takes less time off; but more importantly, we do not assume some artificial limit to where we can go in life so we are likely to be more educated about our jobs and interested in the overall operation of the company. These accusations you throw around so loosely are the repeated whining of inept managers that go back nearly a century to a time when labor was a scapegoat for bad management practices.

Sure, we've had our problems. No organization so large can exist without them. But, bear in mind, those problems came from union MANAGEMENT, not the rank and file worker.

I will confess I have heard some of the examples you put forth, but on a limited basis. This was when I was a project manager and the complaints were from other managers, who thought nothing of sneaking off to smoke a joint or just taking a stress day off. And why not? They don't punch a clock. No one is checking a manager's time.

Remember, it was bad management that brought about the union movement. It certainly was not bad labor.

Oh, and by the way, we used to have a lot of fun on the job, watching managers screw up. If he was a gvood manager, we told him. If he wasn't, we didn't. And he would not last.

Fortunately I learned this lesson before I went into management.

[bucknaway]

Well come to America, Hire a plumber to work on your home and give him one tool and giggle as he racks up hours of giggles trying to do his job :)

Oh and don't forget to pay him for his sanuk/work time :)

[bao-bao]

That is a totally irresponsible and inaccurate evaluation of the American labor force.

-- and --

At school I am paid for 6.6 hours per week day plus 3.3 hours for Saturday classes.

Begging to differ, it's not a CBS White Paper, it's my opinion at best and an observation at the least :cheers:

The primary driving force behind all of it is greed, and that's certainly evident on both sides of any labor dispute. I deplore worker abuse more than I do a bruised profit line, but the biggest problem with America overall (and by that I mean the USA, apologies to Canada and Mexico) is that whole infernal "me first" attitude that you don't see nearly as much in Thailand.

I support our front-line teachers and other educators 1000%, so let's not go there. The second biggest problem in America is the disgraceful way we've gutted education funding and support. I can't see how anyone could disagree that a lack of education at most all levels is the core issue of any major social problems here. If we took the money spent on just one stupid major league sport (speaking of revoltingly greedy owners, sponsors and players) and put that money to education we'd all be better off...

...but the opiated masses don't think that's sanuk! :blackeye:

[Surfcrest]

the biggest problem with America overall (and by that I mean the USA, apologies to Canada and Mexico) is that whole infernal "me first" attitude that you don't see nearly as much in Thailand.

Your observation rings true bao-bao.

I have rarely heard a Thai go on about himself / herself like so
many westerners do. Mind you, behind the wheel of a vehicle they
rarely consider the other person.

The same person that describes your post as тАЬa totally irresponsible
and inaccurate evaluation of the American labor forceтАЭ seems to think
it's fine to make the same comments about American Management.
It would be pretty hard to maintain a successful company without the
combined success of the whole team, not just labor.

When mid-managers tell me they spend a great deal more time working
than what I pay them for, I can only ask them why. Clearly they are bringing
to my attention their inability to get their job done in the time provided.
If I had asked them at their job interview whether they thought they could
get their job done in time and they suggested it would take them longer
Do you really think I would hire them? Much like the guy that goes on about
how lazy management was before he was promoted. Makes me wonder why
he would brag about how low the bar was that got him from labor into
management.

Surfcrest