Food for Thought: Mixed Signals

One of those is about mixed signals. You know - someone will say one thing today, then something else they say seems to contradict what they said before. The first time I remember this happening to me was when my boss told me in my review that he was thinking of reducing my hours, but a few days later he said something about me needing to spend more time on a project. I don't remember the details exactly, but it struck me as odd and a few days later, I asked him about it and he admitted that it did seem that he was giving me mixed signals.

Now, what I want to discuss today isn't so much about mixed signals in your personal or work life, but mixed signals from media and other sources.

I grew up in the age of women's liberation, constantly hearing and seeing things pushing women to have careers as THE way of being fulfilled in life - basically telling women that raising children and being a homemaker were not worthy of a woman's intellect. I still hear it today, but I also hear things like, "Do what you love - that's how to live a happy and fulfilled life."

Another thing I hear directly related to the career outside the home is people spouting off about capitalism being a bad thing. I'm not going to get into all the details of why that's a bunch of hogwash, but it's one of the mixed signals I'm hearing because the same people spouting off about that are the same people who constantly try to sell you something.

So, wait - if capitalism is bad, why is having a career so important? If work is supposed to be fulfilling, why are so many people unhappy in the careers they have and looking for careers where they can do what they love?

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