Should I be a Ferryboat Captain?
You should have a certificate degree or higher and share these traits:
A. Independent: You enjoy flying solo and doing things your own way.
B. Logical Thinker: You take a step-by-step approach to analyze information and solve problems.
C. Detail Oriented: You pay close attention to all the little details.
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Last Friday, I hurried into the eatery on the ground floor of Fox News, and saw a long line in front of the food area where you place your order. I knew right away that there was a problem. I grabbed a yogurt and a couple bottles of water, and headed to the register. I asked if the main grill guy was out, but the scene ahead answered that. I have watched this short-order chef work magic on the grill morning after morning, not only serving up great hot grub, but also moving food items around in a way that gets everyone in and out in a flash.
In his absence, three guys attempted to fill-in and work in tandem but could not get the job done, (there is no app for that). Now, in this day and age of tepid job recovery and sky-high college tuition, much has been made about young people skilling a higher education and learning a trade. While it is true, you cannot outsource a plumber, it is also true that the greatest job growth in areas with the fattest paychecks will require a college education.
However, the aspect missing from this debate is a lot deeper. I think the issue at hand, is that there are people who work hard and have pride in what they do at their jobs in order to earn a living. While an overwhelming majority of people dislike what they do; there was a time when unhappy workers did not allow a position or frustration to compromise their pride and professionalism. Now, doing a lousy job can be a badge of honor, and no longer a source of embarrassment. Maybe this was inevitable as artisans lost their jobs to conveyer belts and modern manufacturing. Perhaps, a disconnect occurs from pushing buttons rather than hammering things out.
Nevertheless, it has gotten to the point where modern-day artisans, like a short-order cook in a busy restaurant, are actually looked down upon, while some high-frequency trader running computer algorithms making tens of millions is looked up to, (although with less respect now compared to a month ago). This is where I join with those in the debate, that not everyone has to go to college and no one should be embarrassed for working a hard and noble job, which requires an incredible amount of skill and dedication.
I just think the idea of drawing a line in the sand, and suggesting that the future of America is hitched to churning out more plumbers is flawed. The future of America is hitched to churning out people who are passionate about doing a great job, no matter what their vocation, or even if they like that vocation.
A Few Degrees and Tragedy
As the death toll mounts from the capsized South Korean ferry, Sewol, we are reminded once again how something we might see as an easy job, is actually intricate and difficult. I have gotten on the Staten Island ferry in New York numerous times, and never once considered it could actually sink. It seems like a straight shot over a defined, but short stretch of water that has been done over and over again. Simple, right?
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Sewol Ferry:
Length: 479 feet |
However, when you think about it, it seems like there is at least one major ferryboat disaster each year, but it is always "over there," and while tragic, the news simply does not resonate. Then there is always the notion that it is happening in a third world nation, where an overcrowded ferryboat just sinks from stress. Nevertheless, it was not a rickety craft which sunk in that third-world nation.
These disasters are more ubiquitous than we know, and some of the most famous ones have occurred in western nations, although the more infamous ones were a long time ago:
1876- River Dee, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (32 of 70 passengers dead)
2011- Bulgaria (122 dead)
2012- Bangladesh (32 of 250 dead)
2012- Zanzibar (140 of 290 dead)
2013- Philippines (55 of 300 dead)
2013- NYC (85 injured)
What is more intriguing is the news out of South Korea that the captain bolted from the ferry before any passengers. I suspect when he read the job description that his interpretation of "independent, logical thinking, and detail-oriented" meant something else. As it turns out, it appears that it was a novice, who had given the command to turn the ferry sharply, which resulted in its listing, and the unfolding horror. Ferryboat captains may be seen in a greater light after this latest disaster.
Going Down with the Ship
The sinking of HMS Birkenhead in 1852, saw the captain of the ship proclaim "women and children first" and began the noble Victorian protocol for behavior at sea. Heretofore, the captain was seen with the power of God on long voyages, and the feeling was that anyone that did not make it off a doomed ship was just unlucky. Lee Joon-Seok was not commanding on a long trip, but he must have thought highly of himself to head for the nearest lifeboat, along with crewmembers as his ferryboat toppled into murky waters.
Like the captain of the Costa Concordia, Captain Lee was arrested, and maybe justice awaits him soon.
In many ways, elected leaders are like captains of vessels. In that sense, many people must have felt hung out to dry when they learned of the high federal tax rates for the people that advocate socking it to the rich, as a universal elixir sure to cure all that ails the nation.
Obama paid $98,169 in taxes on $481,095, or 20.4% (and got a $19,000 refund), while Biden paid $96,378 on $407,009 in income, or 23.7% (it is clear they need to borrow the President's accountant). The mayor of New York paid an even lower federal tax rate. It would seem to me that at the very least, people who are willing to cripple the nation by going as far as taxing of assets would step up to the plate, and fork over the maximum. Go down with the ship, after all!
No wonder so many people are simply disillusioned.
We are at a difficult point in this nation's history. Our country is listing, and it is on the verge of capsizing. We have lost our moral compass, and rookies are running the show. It is a slow motion disaster, and that is the great news - because it can be diverted. We must rekindle our spirit and revolve in the kind of pride that comes from doing a great job. No occupation is too small, even if it pays a minuscule amount. Being great has its own rewards including promotion, or introspection, and pride in the fact that you can make it happen.
We cannot let that float wait for this nation masked by a false pride from having food stamps, or free phones. Our ship gets upright when everyone has oars in the ocean, and pulls their own weight, and then some.
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