Why are people so fixated on climbing the corporate ladder?

[StrawberryYogurt]

Discuss. I don't understand the mentality of slaving away working many hours, traveling, stress, etc just to climb the almighty corporate ladder. I understand people need to make a decent living to retire, feed their family, etc, but I can't help but think a large portion of that desire is so they can have a better consumption filled lifestyle. Am I wrong?

[JadedStar]

Like i said on the thread that prompted you to create this one, I like to eat, and I like to eat well.

 

Enough said.

[waveseer]

Money and status. There's actually more job security in having a specialized skill. Managers are a dime a dozen.

[Cognitive_Canine]

Money equals freedom. Freedom equals happiness.

[greywolf]

Job security, job satisfaction... I could go on.

If you don't agree with it, then you don't have to do it.

[Sn0man]

It's all about status. People with high job status have more fulfilling careers. It's not always about money. Usually the ones who climb the ladder are the ones that really love their jobs and love what they do. They also have an insatiable hunger to achieve more - always more.

 

Not everybody is like this though, and there's nothing wrong with it if you're not. Some people are just content with what they do and don't feel the need to be an overachiever.

 

Me, i'm an overachiever.

[JadedStar]

Job security, job satisfaction... I could go on.

If you don't agree with it, then you don't have to do it.

 

Exactly. I don't know why someone would worry about it if it isn't for them. If it isn't, don't do it. For people who do want to enrich their careers and achieve personal goals, let them do it without bashing. For me, I set a lot of personal goals for myself on the job and as such climbing the ladder was a gimmie. If someone has a problem with my doing what i want out of life, that is their problem, not mine.

 

I grew up as a kid hearing ignorant relatives bash my desire to get ahead in life by saying "is that all you want to do is be a pencil pusher"? Yeah, maybe i do. Is that a problem?

[greywolf]

Exactly. I don't know why someone would worry about it if it isn't for them. If it isn't, don't do it. For people who do want to enrich their careers and achieve personal goals, let them do it without bashing. For me, I set a lot of personal goals for myself on the job and as such climbing the ladder was a gimmie. If someone has a problem with my doing what i want out of life, that is their problem, not mine.

 

I grew up as a kid hearing ignorant relatives bash my desire to get ahead in life by saying "is that all you want to do is be a pencil pusher"? Yeah, maybe i do. Is that a problem?

 

I dunno... I think people that have such a problem with it are secretly envious.

[Sn0man]

I dunno... I think people that have such a problem with it are secretly envious.

You may be on to something there.

 

Snow patrol? Uh oh - i'm outta here

[Imprecision]

There is no end to the pursuit of glory.

 

However, I can understand this mentality. My desires are slightly different. I want to be the best Latinist I can be. And then, in my specialised field (which I shall not mention, for the sake of anonymity), I want to be the best I can be.

[Sn0man]

It's the sad state of the human existence these days. People associate their identities with their jobs, they seek status, power and acknowledgment that they are "somebody" these days. Superficial pursuit of happiness.

I don't see what's superficial about wanting to achieve goals.

[redhearts]

They think that is what they are suppose to do in life, its like asking why are women so fixated on having kids?

[JadedStar]

There is no end to the pursuit of glory.

 

However, I can understand this mentality. My desires are slightly different. I want to be the best Latinist I can be. And then, in my specialised field (which I shall not mention, for the sake of anonymity), I want to be the best I can be.

 

 

Yep. And for people who just so happen to be employed in a corporation, those who climb the ladder for the most part have this same mentality. They want to strive and set goals and achieve and climbing that ladder is a byproduct of that.

 

I don't sneer at people who want to stay at the same place in their career, or who enjoy blue collar work, etc, so i have a pet peeve with people who like to point fingers at those who work for a corporation who strive to get ahead. It makes me wonder why they worry so much about other people.

[thejigsup]

I want to help children with special needs. I will work 20 hours a day, seven days a week to do this. I'm d**n good at it, too. When you love it, it's not work, it's your life. If you don't understand it, different things in life motivate you, and that's cool.

[Cognitive_Canine]

They think that is what they are suppose to do in life, its like asking why are women so fixated on having kids?

 

LOL. I burst out laughing!

 

You might want to reword that.

[greywolf]

It's the sad state of the human existence these days. People associate their identities with their jobs, they seek status, power and acknowledgment that they are "somebody" these days. Superficial pursuit of happiness.

 

That can be a reason, but it's not always that way.

I have a thought here....as crazy as it sounds.... Maybe some people just enjoy their work.

 

Secondly, I doubt anyone here wants to work in fast food for the rest of their lives.

[thejigsup]

I'm with you greywolf, I love my work and find it incredibly worthwhile. More worthwhile than clubbing or whatever. Every single day of my life counts to someone. I love that.

[JadedStar]

I want to help children with special needs. I will work 20 hours a day, seven days a week to do this. I'm d**n good at it, too. When you love it, it's not work, it's your life. If you don't understand it, different things in life motivate you, and that's cool.

 

Reminds me of a saying someone i admire said to me many years ago.."If you love your job, you will never work another day in your life"....

[greywolf]

Reminds me of a saying someone i admire said to me many years ago.."If you love your job, you will never work another day in your life"....

 

That's what my stepdad said to me too.

[Cognitive_Canine]

I'm not denying that. But being in the corporate world for quite few years I know what it does to people. Has anyone read the news of what's been happening to these corporations where people are climbing the ladders? Especially the financial sector? I'm sure someone wanted to be the best number cruncher in the gray area correct?

 

 

I enjoy my job too, otherwise I wouldn't have spent the last 5 years working with the same people and at the same company.

 

Well, the news wouldn't report anything good....

 

The average worker who enjoys his job won't be reported on.

[Sn0man]

Superficial based on the reasons I spelled out. The point being is that most people will do anything to climb the ladder but importantly we're so much into this notion of being up the social ladder that we disregard the most basic and noble human traits. Climbing the social ladder is not going to make you a better person in fact quite the opposite, once you taste some power all hell breaks lose.

 

P.S. I do work in the corporate world, actually one of the biggest corporations in US. And I am climbing the corporate ladder, slowly but surely but I am not sacrificing my integrity or my beliefs just for that sake.

I'm not sure when 'sacrificing integrity or beliefs' came into the picture.

 

Achieving goals will make you a better person. Climbing the corporate ladder by achieving said goals is a just reward for that effort.

[JadedStar]

I'm not denying that. But being in the corporate world for quite few years I know what it does to people. Has anyone read the news of what's been happening to these corporations where people are climbing the ladders? Especially the financial sector? I'm sure someone wanted to be the best number cruncher in the gray area correct?

 

 

I enjoy my job too, otherwise I wouldn't have spent the last 5 years working with the same people and at the same company.

 

Maybe these people you read about are not really staying true to themselves. You can love your job but not sell your soul. It's a shame that some people can't realize the difference. You can still work hard and do a damn good job and get rewards for that without "just" being a cog in the wheel.

 

I can honestly say that with every promotion i ever got it was never money motivated. I did it because i set goals personally that i wanted to see if i could achieve. the money just came about but i never strived for it. the average person who is only in it for the money usually has a hard time reaching the goal. Sure some will if they have the right degree or rub the right elbows, but for many who are ONLY money motivated they have a hard time reaching that goal.

[Cognitive_Canine]

Yes b/c they're not the ones climbing the ladder at all costs.

 

But, they are probably the exception and not the average.

[melrich]

Yes b/c they're not the ones climbing the ladder at all costs.

 

The "climbing corporate ladder" is really misleading because it implies the only progress is up and in fact that is just not what corporates are about nowadays.

 

In truth, it is a corporate scaffold and modern businesses recognise that there is value on all vertical and horizontal levels of the scaffolding. Flat structures are the new pyramid and corporate stereotyping belongs in the 80s and 90s.

[greywolf]

^I don't deny that things like that happen, but it doesn't mean that all people are like that.