The assorted finds of Artefact Publishing
This morning I implemented a dated sort of MPD/DID titles in the Multiple Personality / Dissociation Book List. I personally don’t see much use for it (particularly since, as it stands, the actual dates aren’t shown in the list), but it was a feature requested by a user. The exact, anonymous, request was: Please list books by dates. THANK YOU!
I love it when I get this sort of feedback. While the book list isn’t a community site (though anyone is welcome to add their reviews to the books), a request like this shows that people use and care about the site, and it’s nice to be able to make the site better for someone in particular (contrast this with the last set of improvements).
I would like to do more such work. In my last job (which I left last year before going to Thailand), most of what I did was entirely commercially driven with no significant connection to what is important in people’s lives. I hope I can find such connections in whatever employment I next find.
Posted by jamie on April 27, 2003 13:03+12:00
If I thought it were the case that things that do get monetary values aren't important, I wouldn't bother looking for work which was important, so I think we're in agreement. On the other hand, I feel a difference between the work I mentioned and, say, building an online home loan application system. I'm not sure I can well articulate what that difference is, though.
Posted by: Jamie on April 28, 2003 12:30+12:00
There are some things which are valuable in a monetary sense, but are also important in other ways... but more often not the really important work (from, for example, a social perspective) is undervalued.
I have done quite a lot of voluntary work, and it’s incredibly rewarding because I can see tangible benefits in other people’s lives. I hope one day I can find a paid job that gives me that much satisfaction. If not, I’ll probably just be poor!
I’m not sure if I’m being at all coherent...
Posted by: Fionnaigh on April 28, 2003 23:52+12:00
PS I got "First Person Plural" out of the library last week, so I was interested to read the reviews on the booklist. (I haven't read it yet - been too busy).
Posted by: Fionnaigh on April 28, 2003 23:59+12:00
My guess is just that modern corporations necessarily add too much distance between any good that you might be doing, and the effect of that good. People's mortgages are very important to them, but you probably don't see or receive their appreciation if you work for the bank that sets up the site to allow them.
Posted by: Michael Norrish on April 29, 2003 19:53+12:00
I think it makes a difference too that in many cases the work done is in response to someone deciding that other people want/would pay money for the outcome of the work. What is best for the person/company paying for the work is not necessarily what is best for the everyone else. Just look at Microsoft's software for a multitude of examples.
Posted by: Jamie on April 30, 2003 13:55+12:00
If someone is willing to pay "actual money" for something then it must be important to some degree. While it's not the case that all important things get monetary values, it doesn't thus follow that things that do get monetary values aren't important.
Posted by: Michael Norrish on April 28, 2003 12:01+12:00