midlife crisis - realizing my lobbying job is bullshit?

[Anonymous]

Okay, so I have been in various parts of media, law firms, and lobbying over the past decades and am increasingly realizing that I have found an easy/fun path and making lots of money, but that my job, itself, feels like bullshit. Feeling some regret about not actually building a business, or anything of value, and just being paid to be a spin master. Does anyone else feel this way?? I am so good at it, and it is just - bullshit. Maybe this is a midlife crisis, I am funding my kids lifves and they are on purpose driven career paths.... should I just be grateful for the paycheck?

[Anonymous]

Better to realize it’s all bullcrap while getting a big paycheck than to realize it’s all bullcrap while getting a tiny paycheck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, so I have been in various parts of media, law firms, and lobbying over the past decades and am increasingly realizing that I have found an easy/fun path and making lots of money, but that my job, itself, feels like bullshit. Feeling some regret about not actually building a business, or anything of value, and just being paid to be a spin master. Does anyone else feel this way?? I am so good at it, and it is just - bullshit. Maybe this is a midlife crisis, I am funding my kids lifves and they are on purpose driven career paths.... should I just be grateful for the paycheck?

Yes. it could be worse. You could have a job that is just bullshit, that you aren't even good at and doesn't even pay well. Find your fulfillment outside of your work.

[Anonymous]

You’re right. It is bullshit. It’s probably hard realizing you’ve likely done more harm than good. But I’m sure your kids appreciate the life you’ve been able to provide for them.

[Anonymous]

Get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

It's just arbitrage. Taking money from a corrupt part of the system and using it to fund family and charity in another part.

It's what most of us do. You are just repatriating money from the undeserving to the deserving if you do it right.

[Anonymous]

I don't want to minimize your years of dedication and hard work, OP, but I think lobbying should be illegal. It creates quid pro quos. It gives more influence to wealthy organizations and less to individual voters. It's not what real democracy is about. And dark money in campaign contributions and general lack of transparency in political funding are what create an oligarchy inside a purported democracy (not that you did that, it's just all related).

I am glad that you've come to this level of self-awareness, but also remember that you worked honestly to serve your clients' interests. That has to count for something, right? Don't beat yourself up. Try to do something to benefit humanity moving forward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's just arbitrage. Taking money from a corrupt part of the system and using it to fund family and charity in another part.

It's what most of us do. You are just repatriating money from the undeserving to the deserving if you do it right.

What a cop out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's just arbitrage. Taking money from a corrupt part of the system and using it to fund family and charity in another part.

It's what most of us do. You are just repatriating money from the undeserving to the deserving if you do it right.

Whatever helps you sleep at night, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Better to realize it’s all bullcrap while getting a big paycheck than to realize it’s all bullcrap while getting a tiny paycheck.

This. Hopefully you're not lobbying for something awful.

There is a book called Bullshit Jobs that I am rereading right now that articulates why bullshit jobs trouble the soul. But also covers that we are living in a complex time and economy where we are living at a level of "wants" rather than "needs".

Some people have essential jobs or contribute a lot to progress. Many of us are just contributors to the economy and system we have. If you like some or all of the economic system in which you dwell, at a basic level you are producing something of value since somebody is willing to pay you to do it.

Lots of us are questioning the point of our jobs right now. That's normal. And these are troubled political and economic times.

Maybe read "Thank You For Smoking" and "Bullshit Jobs", dust yourself off and go forward as best you can.

[Anonymous]

OP you don't have to name clients but what do you do in a day? Do you set up meetings with politicians? How blatant is it all? Or is it winky winky?

[Anonymous]

Sounds amazing! Just curious, can you share how much you make a year?

PS - I don’t think you should feel bad at all!

[Anonymous]

OP I am more in a do-gooder field and completely questioning my career, it feels very pointless as the field has been decimated by this Administration (I'm not a fed, but even externally). So yeah just be happy about the paycheck and recognize your cynicism is probably merited.

[Anonymous]

Lok ahead. Get your kids educated and launched and keep making quality connections that might be helpful when you can pivot to using your skills and knowledge in a way you find more meaningful.

[Anonymous]

You work for a paycheck, not fulfillment. There is nothing wrong with rendering unto caesar.

Get a hobby. Volunteer. Find meaning in that.