There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes. William J. Bennett
If you believe you, or others, work a menial job then your attitude is what is really menial. Let's talk about menial for a minute. In its adjective definition it means lacking interest or dignity, relating mostly to servant hood. And while some people may argue that certain jobs are menial, I agree with Bennett - only attitudes are. When I look at a particular task or job and think it below me to do then I have proven my attitude is menial, it lacks dignity.
For example, I know of someone who noticed one day that coffee had spilled and made a general mess at the coffee station they frequent. They let it sit for a day or two before letting someone know that it needed to be cleaned up and "since housekeeping is supposed to do that I've left it for them to take care of." REALLY? That person has a menial attitude toward janitorial duties, not to mention they are selfish and lazy. This person communicated that the task was beneath them and they communicated that people are classified by their jobs and they believe in menial jobs...which proves their menial attitude.
When we don't do the tasks set before us with attitudes opposite of menial then the job is not the problem, we are. We are all outfitted for any kind of task. We have the capacity to accomplish them but do we have the attitude? When we approach a job/task and consider it beneath us then we are communicating that we lack dignity. We are also passively communicating that people who do those tasks/jobs for a living don't have any dignity either. And we treat them that way.
That's what the person above in my example was doing. Behind the housekeeper's back the person was treating them without value and dignity. I'm sure this person doesn't think of it this way but that is what they are doing. They are silently telling the housekeeper that they are only good enough for one kind of job. When our attitudes lack dignity we also will treat people without dignity.
If you are doing a job/task that you think is beneath you, or you have been asked to do one, then I'm asking you to dig deep and consider what is menial - the job/task or your attitude?
If you believe you, or others, work a menial job then your attitude is what is really menial. Let's talk about menial for a minute. In its adjective definition it means lacking interest or dignity, relating mostly to servant hood. And while some people may argue that certain jobs are menial, I agree with Bennett - only attitudes are. When I look at a particular task or job and think it below me to do then I have proven my attitude is menial, it lacks dignity.
For example, I know of someone who noticed one day that coffee had spilled and made a general mess at the coffee station they frequent. They let it sit for a day or two before letting someone know that it needed to be cleaned up and "since housekeeping is supposed to do that I've left it for them to take care of." REALLY? That person has a menial attitude toward janitorial duties, not to mention they are selfish and lazy. This person communicated that the task was beneath them and they communicated that people are classified by their jobs and they believe in menial jobs...which proves their menial attitude.
When we don't do the tasks set before us with attitudes opposite of menial then the job is not the problem, we are. We are all outfitted for any kind of task. We have the capacity to accomplish them but do we have the attitude? When we approach a job/task and consider it beneath us then we are communicating that we lack dignity. We are also passively communicating that people who do those tasks/jobs for a living don't have any dignity either. And we treat them that way.
That's what the person above in my example was doing. Behind the housekeeper's back the person was treating them without value and dignity. I'm sure this person doesn't think of it this way but that is what they are doing. They are silently telling the housekeeper that they are only good enough for one kind of job. When our attitudes lack dignity we also will treat people without dignity.
If you are doing a job/task that you think is beneath you, or you have been asked to do one, then I'm asking you to dig deep and consider what is menial - the job/task or your attitude?
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