Saturday, February 14, 2009

The Job Market and My Personal Views

So I was recently watching a tv show with my parents when my dad confronted me about all the posts I was making about marijuana legalization. He warned me that companies would check my personal information, including Facebook and any easily-linked accounts, and that they would surely see that I had argued in favor of marijuana legalization.

In short, he warned me that people might not hire me based upon my personal views. I was outraged.

I mean, if some manager was anti-gay and he saw that you were a proponent of gay marriage, would that be grounds to keep you out of his job? It would be different if I had actually made a claim to using marijuana... but I haven't. I've instead focused on the economic, environmental, judicial and health benefits of marijuana legalization in a structured, intellectual argument that should appeal to anyone who uses rational thought.

But you know what? I would rather not be hired by a company that thought my views on marijuana legalization weren't conducive to work ethic. I would rather turn away from that company because companies today should take in people regardless of what they believe in.

See, what you believe in has its place in the workplace, but only as a means of creating social discussion. Whether you believe that women or minorities should be kept out of a job based on their race or gender, or if you believe that the war in Iraq was wrong, it shouldn't matter. What should matter is how you act. How you've led your life. Are you a proponent of marijuana legalization? Shouldn't matter. Were you caught with marijuana, which is an illegal substance by current law? SHOULD matter. 

What are we getting ourselves into if we're judging people by what they believe in? It shouldn't matter what you believe in. Hell, it creates a healthy, diverse work environment even if the person believes in something considered repulsive by today's standards (and as you'll see from other blogs on other sites, 40% of Americans want marijuana legalized... but that's not the point). 

If you're hiring people based on their personal beliefs, you're not a company worth getting a job at, in my humble, young opinion.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Sharing Music and the Bizzare Cultural Norms Surrounding it

My sister decided to share a band called Starf***er with me. At first, I was dubious. Saying one is a fan of band called Starf***er somehow conveys the impression that the same person also watches hardcore porn in their basement. Nonetheless, I listened. I closed my eyes and let myself drift as the calming music washed over me, and as I did, I wondered about the whole music sharing thing.

I mean, what is the protocol for someone sharing music? Are they supposed to stand next to the speakers with a smile on their face or just be neutral? Do they look at the person they're sharing the music with? What's the correct social stance there? I always feel awkward sharing music, especially if it's Electronica. Do I stand near the iPod or do I go sit down? If I sit down, do I sit down near the person or opposite them? Should I leave the room altogether and let that person absorb the music on their own?

And what about being the sharee? Am I supposed to tilt my head back and shut my eyes to listen to the music fully? Do I stare at the person who's sharing the music with me or avert my eyes to the corner of the room? Would it be considered rude if I kept reading my book?

So many questions, and none of them have an easy answer. I'm pretty sure that even the most socially adept have a hard time with this (that is, if those people share music at all).

And what about afterwards? The sharer will undoubtedly ask, "What do you think?" How do I respond to that? Does "It was good" sound too much like I didn't really like it but wanted to make the sharer feel good? What if I seriously enjoyed it? Do I put more emphasis in "good" so as to say "It was GOOD?"

It's dizzying if you think about it for too long. Which reminds me... I have to get back to listening to their song Isabella of Castile.