Hello from sewage waste truck driver

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:06 am

Hello all.

I drive a sewage waste truck, which is a job that requires a great deal more understanding of philosophy than most people would suspect. It also allows me to do quite a bit of reading on the job, as I wait for my turn to dump the sewage waste. So all things considered, it is not a bad job.

Ethics and epistemology are my main interests in philosophy, and I drive friends, neighbours, family and coworkers crazy by asking, "How do you know this is true?" on reqular basis. I have been trying to write a book, but all I have is a bunch of beer-stained, barely coherent notes.

mickthinks · Post by **mickthinks** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:19 am

Welcome Gustaf, we can use you! We get quite a bit of sewage dumped here. Hope you stick around.

Mick

sally · Post by **sally** » Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:15 am

This is a bit late but... Welcome to the forum! I never knew anyone could make driving a sewage waste truck for a living seem so appealing.

amateurphilosophynerd · Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:15 am

you sound like an interesting chap. Philosophy is like light shining in a dark place (mines an genuinely unknown place!!!) and academia in all its forms has much to say to people like us. best wishes and greetings all.!

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:52 am

I have given up truck driving (at least for now, perhaps for longer than that) to be a stay-at-home dad.

Does being a stay-at-home dad give me any extra rights to be critical of feminism?

On an unrelated note, at a recent get-together of driving professionals, a question arose, which is worse, driving sewage trucks, or driving school buses? On one hand, the sewage does not talk back, or throw things out the truck at passing traffic. On the other hand, it smells real bad. Thoughts? (Perhaps I can move on to some line of work that is not solely alienated labour.)

RachelAnn · Post by **RachelAnn** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:24 pm

Does being a stay-at-home dad give me any extra rights to be critical of feminism?

Feminism is simply "pro-woman." If anyone - man or woman - believes feminism equates with anti-male, they are mistaken.
Sadly, there are too many so-called 'feminists' who operate from a negative and reactive position, ranting on about "patriarchal oppression" and all that. I've known women who consciously choose to be lesbians on the claim that women's sexuality is political.
Back to my original point, feminism's word breaks down as "feminine" and "ism."

You take care of your family and your home. That hard work deserves more respect than it presently receives. Raising children well ought to be more of a social priority, in my opinion.
Good luck!!

Nikolai · Post by **Nikolai** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:34 pm

Being a stay at home dad is fantastic - i did it for a year and it gives you authority in areas that lots of men never get.

The biggest myth I love to debunk is that men have it easy by going off to work. FALSE.

Staying home looking after a baby is far easier, I know because I've done both.

RachelAnn · Post by **RachelAnn** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:05 pm

The biggest myth I love to debunk is that men have it easy by going off to work.
FALSE.
Staying home looking after a baby is far easier, I know because I've done both.

Yes, managing the home and family is easier than working outside the home full time. The stipulation to this is financial supports: so long as there is income that provides for one stay at home parent. Working to support the family and managing home and family is incredibly difficult when one lives solely on one's paycheck. IF one has supplemental finances - spouse who works, inheritance, trusts with interest enough to live on... and is able to stay home, then that is ideal, I think. The less stress there is on the parent(s), the better it is for the children. "Poverty Sucks."

Psychonaut · Post by **Psychonaut** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 8:42 pm

Let's move this to the feminism section, eh?

Which I've now done, at Househusbandry

RachelAnn · Post by **RachelAnn** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:57 am

Why move it to the feminist section? Parenting is mother and/or father. There is no gender specificity about parenting and working in today's world. I do not think that parenting is an issue specific to women at the exclusion of men.

Psychonaut · Post by **Psychonaut** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 3:02 am

Well, the question was whether being a househusband gives him a right to criticise feminism.

Also, we aren't talking about parenting, we're talking about housewifery/husbandry, there is a major distinction.

Besides, the feminism section covers everything to do with gender, according to it's blurb.

And parenting is an issue in feminism, because the different tasks are generally split differently between the genders, and whether this is equitable is a major issue. Ofcourse, that isn't to say that parenting is solely a feminist issue.

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:17 am

Nikolai wrote:The biggest myth I love to debunk is that men have it easy by going off to work. FALSE.

Staying home looking after a baby is far easier, I know because I've done both.

I have done both too, and work is easier than looking after a baby - I know that this is no myth.

What work did you do that is easier than looking after a baby full-time - I am sure a lot of people would like such a job, if it exists.

Nikolai · Post by **Nikolai** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:34 pm

People who say that staying home with a baby is harder are just trying to be right-on. If you don't feel boredom, can live in the moment and enjoy your child then staying at home is no hardship and is a pleasure.

artisticsolution · Post by **artisticsolution** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:16 pm

Nikolai wrote:People who say that staying home with a baby is harder are just trying to be right-on. If you don't feel boredom, can live in the moment and enjoy your child then staying at home is no hardship and is a pleasure.

Hi Nikolai,

Welcome to the forum. I have been reading your posts for a while, I am sorry it took this long for me to say hi....I have been incredibly busy with work.

I have two teenage sons and when I say being a stay at home parent was harder I am not trying to be "right on." I think it depends on how active the particular child is. My best friend loved staying at home with her first child. That child was a breeze, didn't fuss or get into things, she could take her anywhere and she would sit like a lady until it was time to go no matter how long it took. My friends life was not interrupted at all. She could not understand why I said being a parent was the hardest thing I have ever done.....until she had her second child.

He was a very creative child who did not sit for a moment. He was into everything, enjoyed making his presence know by screaming and she could not take him anywhere because wherever she went she was asked to leave. Mind you, I am not saying he was a brat, I am just saying he was like my children....very active. She finally understood what I was talking about...she was drained every night simply from keeping him from harms way. She never knew what he was going to do...she'd turn her back for a moment and he'd be dangling from the top of the drapes. She couldn't even leave him for a second even to go to the bathroom.

Now, I guess if you are someone who got lucky with placid children or only had one to look after one, then I can see how you could think it was easier than work, but if you had an active child/ children, I think it's a different story.

Gustaf · Post by **Gustaf** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:25 am

Nikolai wrote:People who say that staying home with a baby is harder are just trying to be right-on.

I cannot comment on this, I do not understand what you mean. What does one do when one tries to be "right-on"?

If you don't feel boredom, can live in the moment and enjoy your child then staying at home is no hardship and is a pleasure.

Something can be hard, while being a pleasure and not a hardship.

(Would I be correct in assuming that English is not your first language? If I am correct, is it Russian by any chance?)

Looking after a yound child is more demanding than many other jobs. If I am driving sewage around, and I feel I need to take a coffee break - I can - and I do not need to constantly watch the truck to make sure it does not drive itself into traffic. There is a limit to how many coffee breaks I can take, but they are under my control.

People working in offices can look at their computer and space out for a few minutes almost at will. Even in a busy call centre, you can stay on "after call work" for an extra minute or two from time to time, close your eyes, and collect your thoughts.

Looking after a toddler - you cannot take a break at will.

So, in that sense, looking after a toddler is more demanding - mentally and physically - it is harder than a normal job. I enjoy it more than I did any job - but that does not make it "easy".

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Hello from sewage waste truck driver

Hello from sewage waste truck driver

welcome best wishes from me