Comparisons in Book Four: Ichi-no-Tani 2017

Oct. 8, 2017, 2:24 p.m.
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Yesterday, I talked to some friends of mine. Good people but far less educated (as far as Degree Comparisons.... I am not being a dick with “far less educated” they are some of my closest friends… simply, they do not have the same level of education).

They are making an average of $15 to $20 thousand dollars more than I do. They all have health insurance and vacation pay. They work 40 hours a week and get weekends off. They have lives. They get to spend time with friends and family.

I know what my bosses would say. “It is a matter of patience.” Get screwed now and then in five or ten years; you’ll be making LOTS more money. But I still won’t have insurance, a life, vacation pay… it isn’t about the money. It’s about the intangibles.

So today I talk to my parents about all of this. I think I know what my Dad will say. But… I’m still interested to hear it. When it comes to leaving something… anything… it feels… wrong to me, somehow. Always has. Leaving something, anything, feels like a personal failure. So that is why I talk about it so much, that is why I need so much feedback, that is why I get… I’ll admit… a little needy around the subject. Because… coming to the conclusion that the best thing for me is to leave… means very little to me. Something to be concerned about, I suppose.

Amaryllis ⋅ October 08, 2017

I think leaving might not be wrong, but leaving for a non-attorney job would be. My cousin Aaron wanted to be an architect and he spent like 15 years in school and payless internhips and extremely low pay entry jobs; that's just the way that industry works, because there are far more people who want to be architects than there is room for architects. But he eventually put in his time and made it and now he makes a hugely ridiculous amount of money. Everything I have read about law tells me that it is the same; thankless, grueling, 80 hour a week nearly payless work for years, until you have the experience and reputation to command better. This is your dream and you should put in these 'entry level misery' years to achieve it!

People like you leaving is what makes room for other people to advance. Like my cousin's architect experience, there are far more law school graduates than good law jobs available. All of the graduates are stuck in a gladiator ring and have to survive the others. Those left standing are able to advance. It's not right, it's not fair, our generation is fucked compared to others, but it's the truth of it. If you quit now, you'll be starting at the very bottom and thrown into another gladiator ring. There is stiff competition for bank teller jobs. My friend has an MBA in finance and couldn't get one. Things are just really difficult right now.

Deleted user ⋅ October 08, 2017

In this case I think leaving is a wise choice .

stargazing ⋅ October 08, 2017

Out of curiosity, what would you say to a friend who was in a similar situation? Would you think they were a failure because they wanted to leave? Or would you encourage them to find something that was a better fit?