What is the most shameful line of work?

Yeah, lawyers can be awful but society genuinely needs them. Likewise politicians, as you can see from anywhere that they have tried running like a business instead. Billionaires and others whose only purpose is to take and concentrating wealth, not so much.

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Being a billionaire shouldn’t be treated as a line of work, but it’s amazing how many companies will let you come play CEO if you’re a billionaire. I’m not sure how the law should be structured, but I think billionaires should just be locked out of employment completely. Sort of like locking out higher level characters from the starting levels so the newer players have a chance in hell.

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Very true!

Jason Sudeikis Yes GIF by Apple TV+

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This is a tough one because of the framing: line of work.
Several that have been named, like lawyers as already mentioned, are only shameful if you practice that line of work shamefully. There are plenty of amazing lawyers doing great things out there.
I was thinking of those consultants that get hired to come in and squash new renewable energy projects, or the ones who worked forever to overcome the will of the people here in Maine for a power line corridor. But then, that “line of work” itself isn’t shameful, it’s just the groups they’re choosing to work for.

Um, oddly graphic and specific example, but there’s nothing shameful about working as a housekeeper, even if it’s at a peep show. It’s kind of insulting that you choose that to compare to something shameful.

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Trump lapdog.

… “collecting medical debts” should be up there

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Is it a job if you don’t get paid…

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Ahh it’s specific because I worked in a porn store, and it’s a hard job to staff. Cashier made $12/HR and “Janitor” made $27 or something and this was the 90s.

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I would extend that to any debt collectors, but medical debt collectors are another level. (Insert disclaimer about working a job you hate because you need the money, etc. I know this first hand, having been part of the IT department for a collection agency. I was quite proud to be fired from that job – only one I’ve ever been fired from.)

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I think i get what you’re getting at. Shame for so-called “bullshit jobs” that don’t advance society/human wellbeing in any way (IOW, that which puts profit over people, like nearly all examples here so far). They’re “bullshit jobs” because to describe them in an ethical light requires a great deal of bullshitting (i.e., words words words…)

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I didn’t read @Enochrewt as saying there was anything shameful about the job, rather that it was a specific gross thing, at least to them. I don’t think that needs to be that controversial.

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My impression of the ‘easy to understand’ metric is that it’s more of a supplemental filter to compensate for the fact that a lot of sufficiently esoteric ways to be negative value escape immediate condemnation; rather than a standalone measure.

Especially given how flexible the length of a job description can be, depending on what you want from it, it often also seems to have an implied “If I had to describe what I do like you were five would it sound considerably worse?” standard. It takes a really bullshit job to be wholly impossible to simplify; but some jobs get considerably more sordid sounding in the simplification than others.

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no slum lords yet? or maybe even worse… property speculators. ugh. ( specifically those that buy up residential properties and keep them off the market, or bundle properties into securities. ugh. ugh. )

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Well that’s a fair chunk of the current UK Cabinet - and none of them have any shame.

Correct. But mostly, instead of politicians we get grifters, liars, and ideologues - when we need people with a public service ethos.

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Any entry in the Nestle org chart.

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Agreed. Also human trafficker.

Those overpaid board members supposedly advising corporations by offering connections to regulatory agencies (and others who prevent legit oversight of company actions) should be on the list, too.

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At this particular moment, I can’t think of any more shameful line of work than being a Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Well, not A speaker, just this prick.

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And yet, I think the people that keep serial murderers off the streets are doing a difficult and important job. And imo, when I keep a psychotic patient safe in the hospital and don’t let them walk free and harm others, that’s containing humans, but doing an important service to my town.

I totally see where you are coming from, but I think that intent and actions are sometimes more important than job title/ description.

Though I woud be hard pressed to see how the job of being Mitch McConnell is ever acceptable.

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Reparative therapy practitioner. Aka “pray the gay away” guru. :-1:t2:

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Trump Lawyer

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