what kind of work do people do?

I think we all have many things we would have liked to do, but for some reason a lot of us have been prevented from doing them by the actions of others. 

Ambitions are not always realised and the thing what a lot of people say 'If you try hard enough and work hard enough, you will succeed' certainly hasn't applied for me.  And when I have thought I am on the way to realising my ambitions I have had the rug pulled from under my feet.

I don't say this because I want sympathy, or because I am bitter about the way my life has turned out.  After all, we all end up in the same place in the end!

But all this has reminded me of the lyrics to this song by Brian Bedford (You can find the song on You Tube, but I think it is the lyrics that are the strong part.  It is about ambitions being held back by the actions of others, and others trying to lead your life for you and not want to let go:

What's the Use of Wings?
(Brian Bedford)

 "I could have been a giant" said the bonsai tree
 "But someone bound my roots and held me down."
 "I could have reached the Heavens" said the snowy owl
 "But they clipped my wings and kept me on the ground."

 "I think I heard them tell me that they loved me
 That they'd cared for me--without them I would die
 But what's the use of roots if you can't spread them?
 What's the use of wings if you can't fly?"

 "I could have been a singer" said the Myna bird
 "But they caged me and told me what to say."
 "I could have run forever" said the pony
 "But they bridled me and made me go their way."

 "I think I heard them tell me that they loved me
 That they'd care for me forever so it seems
 What's the use of voices without freedom?
 What's the use of living other's dreams?"

 Why do people cage the things they love the most?
 Is it simply that they fear to be alone?
 If you give you're love it's freedom, it will stay awhile
 If it leaves you, it was never yours to own

 "I could have found adventure" said the angelfish
 "Now my world's so small there's nowhere left to go."
 "I could have ruled a kingdom" said the lion
 "Now this land inside my head is all I know."

 "I think I heard them tell me that they loved me
 That they'd care for me, and tell me it's alright
 But what's the use of life without adventure?
 What's the use of strength if you can't fight?"

 Why do people cage the things they love the most?
 Is it simply that they fear to be alone?
If you give you're love it's freedom, it will stay awhile
 If it leaves you, it was never yours to own

 "I know I heard them tell me that they loved me
 That they'd care for me, without them I would die
 But what's the use of roots if you can't spread them?
 What's the use of wings if you can't fly?"

I think we all have many things we would have liked to do, but for some reason a lot of us have been prevented from doing them by the actions of others. 

Ambitions are not always realised and the thing what a lot of people say 'If you try hard enough and work hard enough, you will succeed' certainly hasn't applied for me.  And when I have thought I am on the way to realising my ambitions I have had the rug pulled from under my feet.

I don't say this because I want sympathy, or because I am bitter about the way my life has turned out.  After all, we all end up in the same place in the end!

But all this has reminded me of the lyrics to this song by Brian Bedford (You can find the song on You Tube, but I think it is the lyrics that are the strong part.  It is about ambitions being held back by the actions of others, and others trying to lead your life for you and not want to let go:

What's the Use of Wings?
(Brian Bedford)

 "I could have been a giant" said the bonsai tree
 "But someone bound my roots and held me down."
 "I could have reached the Heavens" said the snowy owl
 "But they clipped my wings and kept me on the ground."

 "I think I heard them tell me that they loved me
 That they'd cared for me--without them I would die
 But what's the use of roots if you can't spread them?
 What's the use of wings if you can't fly?"

 "I could have been a singer" said the Myna bird
 "But they caged me and told me what to say."
 "I could have run forever" said the pony
 "But they bridled me and made me go their way."

 "I think I heard them tell me that they loved me
 That they'd care for me forever so it seems
 What's the use of voices without freedom?
 What's the use of living other's dreams?"

 Why do people cage the things they love the most?
 Is it simply that they fear to be alone?
 If you give you're love it's freedom, it will stay awhile
 If it leaves you, it was never yours to own

 "I could have found adventure" said the angelfish
 "Now my world's so small there's nowhere left to go."
 "I could have ruled a kingdom" said the lion
 "Now this land inside my head is all I know."

 "I think I heard them tell me that they loved me
 That they'd care for me, and tell me it's alright
 But what's the use of life without adventure?
 What's the use of strength if you can't fight?"

 Why do people cage the things they love the most?
 Is it simply that they fear to be alone?
If you give you're love it's freedom, it will stay awhile
 If it leaves you, it was never yours to own

 "I know I heard them tell me that they loved me
 That they'd care for me, without them I would die
 But what's the use of roots if you can't spread them?
 What's the use of wings if you can't fly?"

Following on from my previous post above, I can never understand why people are defined by the employment they do. 

People have many skills, some of them not 'employability' skills but they probably define someone far more.  To be a good parent, to help others, to have a skill in art or craft, these are far more defining than the job one has.  Added to this the fact that many are thrown into a job by circumstances or because the Employment Service 'forces' people into employment of any sort at all however skilled they are if they cannot find a job in their qualified area, and the fact that whatever job you have can suddenly come to an end through no fault of one's own, that your employer is taken over and you are then given a different job, it does really mean very little to a lot of people.

I had a job I really liked, I was TUPEd to another employer and my job just became general office work (it was that or nothing).  And nothing would not pay my bills.

In my life I have seen many eloquent people who have 'lowly' jobs such as labourers, dustmen and cleaners.  I have also seen people in high positions in very important sounding jobs who just haven't got a clue.

I just wish one of the first questions people asked wasn't 'What do you do for a living' and would be more about 'What things do you enjoy doing'. 

Trainspotter said:

'If you try hard enough and work hard enough, you will succeed' certainly hasn't applied for me.

When I do a bit of cognitive therapy on myself, this often turns out to be the hot thought at the centre of my distress.  It's so ingrained and was repeated so often in education.  Hard work equates to positive results.  :(  This is the one that needs defusing in my mind because it leads to so much "this for that" thinking - i.e.  thoughts along the lines of "If I do this, i get that."    

But so many other factors bear down upon us.  We might have a sense of agency, but this only takes us so far.  The true picture would take in a host of influences, including other individuals, yes, but also their/our collective effects (the economy, the culture, the government etc), and also other external influences (geography, weather patterns, "acts of God"). 

When I first saw Dahlgren and Whitehead's model this made absolute sense to me.  I don't absolve myself of responsibility, I still do what I can, but clearly I'm just one individual amidst a whole range of pressures and influences that are simply beyond my immediate control.

And looking at the model now, I think details could be added that relate to each indvidual and probably also to autism.

 To me this is all a huge call to compassion.  Not that the DWP are at all likely to take this into account.    

Trainspotter said:

Ambitions are not always realised and the thing what a lot of people say 'If you try hard enough and work hard enough, you will succeed' certainly hasn't applied for me. 

This is sometimes the reality! I agree to some extent that trying hard can increase your chance of succeeding, but it still don't guarantee that you will succeed even if you tried your hardest and worked three times more than someone else who just had better luck.

Beautiful song! I love how well it rhymes and the metaphors are used beautifully. Thanks for sharing.