petitelover said:
Shouldn't everyone receive your respect until they prove they don't deserve it? Just a thought...
I think using respect as some kind of award system is part of the whole problem when it comes to respect.
Most Prestigious Occupations
- Thread starter stinkynuts
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Shouldn't everyone receive your respect until they prove they don't deserve it? Just a thought...
I think using respect as some kind of award system is part of the whole problem when it comes to respect.
In terms of most prestigious occupations, I don't think some of the most respected are necessarily some of the most prestigious. Some scientist working to find the cure for cancer would probably rank very high in terms of respect, but by the same token probably wouldn't be very prestigious (although he or she probably should be), at least not unless he/she actually found the cure!
Most prestigious? I'd probably say doctor in terms of occupation. They're directly saving lives and making them better for people day in day out. I would say police officers and firefighters are slightly lower simply b/c it involves a lot more grunt work, for lack of a better term. Firefighters also have a lot of down time, which doctors do not get at all. That being said, firefighters do expose themselves to more harmful situations on a more regular basis. But doctors give up a whole lot to become a doctor. Far more training, education, costs, time, etc. If you wake up one morning and decide you really want to be a firefighter, you can become one pretty quickly. Not true of doctors.
My pick would be doctors.
Most prestigious? I'd probably say doctor in terms of occupation. They're directly saving lives and making them better for people day in day out. I would say police officers and firefighters are slightly lower simply b/c it involves a lot more grunt work, for lack of a better term. Firefighters also have a lot of down time, which doctors do not get at all. That being said, firefighters do expose themselves to more harmful situations on a more regular basis. But doctors give up a whole lot to become a doctor. Far more training, education, costs, time, etc. If you wake up one morning and decide you really want to be a firefighter, you can become one pretty quickly. Not true of doctors.
My pick would be doctors.
Part of the round-robin in this thread is because there is confusion in North America as to the relationships between prestigious, work of significance, income, and education. Indeed many levels of work requiring but a Secondary School diploma are of great significance - firefighters, police officer, plow truck drivers, but few people would say that it would be a step up in life for Donald Trump to drive a plow truck or for the senior partners at McMillan Binch Mendelsohn to become Police Officers. At the same time it’s not entirely about income, if so would not the CEO and Chairman of the Board of ExxonMobil top the list. Nor for that matter is it entirely about education (although there is a much stronger connection) if so would not University faculty most of whom have Research Doctorates top the list.
It is the very combination of factors which makes it so subjective and hard to nail down.
It is the very combination of factors which makes it so subjective and hard to nail down.
I agree. But doesn't this, however, have to deal more with manners than with prestige? It is, however, pithily summarized by the expression that 'A Gentleman treats flower-girls like Duchesses, not Duchesses like flower-girls.'Keebler Elf said:
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lusciouslin33 said:
I agree!! Women that do two jobs that make a positive difference really deserve our respect.
The ultimate would be doing two jobs at the same time............like a.........head nurse!
I met one of those once, what a mammory, oops memory!
Aardvark154 said:
Well written post. I think that doctors and top scientists have a good, strong combination of all those factors: education, benefit to society, and to a lesser extent, income.
I'm surprised lawyers ranked so low they have the education, income parts nailed and it's certainly not easy to become a lawyer but I guess the whole perception of being professional liars doesn't help nor the fact that so go on to become politicians.
All kidding aside I think prestige was well outlined by Aardvark.
Education
Income
Significance
but I'd also add exclusivity as well..... e.g. how hard is it to get a job as x, y or z. For example doctors..... in Canada there's roughly a 10 to 1 applicant to position ratio and the competition is among the top half of the class.
I'd also add public perceptions and stereotypes as also a factor. I'm surprised teachers ranked high when you think about comments like "those who can't, teach." Whereas lawyers definitely took a hit for the whole ambulance chasing perception. I'm sure there are plenty of lawyers that fight for civil liberties that would be considered siginificant people.
All kidding aside I think prestige was well outlined by Aardvark.
Education
Income
Significance
but I'd also add exclusivity as well..... e.g. how hard is it to get a job as x, y or z. For example doctors..... in Canada there's roughly a 10 to 1 applicant to position ratio and the competition is among the top half of the class.
I'd also add public perceptions and stereotypes as also a factor. I'm surprised teachers ranked high when you think about comments like "those who can't, teach." Whereas lawyers definitely took a hit for the whole ambulance chasing perception. I'm sure there are plenty of lawyers that fight for civil liberties that would be considered siginificant people.
Hahaha
You're a funny man...
Been a while, too.
magicmanofmassage said:I agree!! Women that do two jobs that make a positive difference really deserve our respect.
The ultimate would be doing two jobs at the same time............like a.........head nurse!
I met one of those once, what a mammory, oops memory!
You're a funny man...
Been a while, too.
It's a truism that people hate lawyers, except for their lawyer(s). It's also a truth that most dictators take to heart the Shakespearian quotation - because the legal system is one of the two major threats to their power, and generaly they already have the other - the military, under their control.frankcastle said:
I'm surprised that Civil Engineers aren't higher on the list. A good career to consider for someone about to start University who is good at mathematics and likes to get out of the office regularly.
Aardvark154 said:
Aardvark makes excellent points. I'd like to add, if one has a heart attack his/her doctor might be the "hero" and get their vote. Someone else who is assisted by an officer during a robbery might vote otherwise.
It is subjective and specific to the person at hand and impossible to categorize with any degree of certainty.
My vote - Doctor for the reasons stated herein.
Although not a "prestigious job" as this thread asks, my vote for most underrated job would be a Nurse. TRX posted a Nurse which made me think about how underappreciated Nurses are. I think most people might agree a Nurse is not a prestigious job but Nurses are exposed to vile contaminated liquids and feces yet they come to work with a smile on their face with the desire to help people. If anyone here has ever been sick and in the hospital you will understand how important a good Nurse really is. Nurses deal with peoples lives and are paid less than the person who delivers your Fed/Ex envelope. Something is wrong with that picture.
In addition to education, income, and significance, I would also add popularity.
For example, an FBI profiler can have advanced degrees, good income, and significance because he catches terrorists and serial killers. Same with building inspectors, accident investigators, research scientists, etc.
But for the most part, the general populace doesn't care, let alone know, about their work. You also need someone that sets a role model, someone that inspires others on a level that everyone can relate to.
Astronaut would be a possibility, along with doctor. I would also suggest athlete and politician, but their professions have been tainted beyond repair.
For example, an FBI profiler can have advanced degrees, good income, and significance because he catches terrorists and serial killers. Same with building inspectors, accident investigators, research scientists, etc.
But for the most part, the general populace doesn't care, let alone know, about their work. You also need someone that sets a role model, someone that inspires others on a level that everyone can relate to.
Astronaut would be a possibility, along with doctor. I would also suggest athlete and politician, but their professions have been tainted beyond repair.
My, the Terb population is a smart and articulate group. Yes, I agree Ig --popularity does play a very important part in a persons perception of a prestigious job. I guess the correct answer to this thread is whatever job a person thinks 
shakenbake
Senior Turgid Member
lusciouslin33 said:
Here, here! I agree. Some, not all, of these people with may letters behind their names think that they are God's greatest gift since sliced bread. BTW, how many degrees do you have? I have my fiarshare of them and it seems to make peolpe think that I am somehow wierd.
R.N.'s are fairly well compensated, (not true for those with lesser credentials - but they do have lesser credentials) but it is a hard and thankless job, and there is a tremendous problem with the retention of R.N.’s until they reach a supervisory level.petitelover said:
That said there are also a certain percentage of R.N.'s who think that all the extra schooling, training etc. . . that physicians have should count for naught, their (the R.N.’s) opinion should weigh equally with that of the patients physician.
There are indeed "educated idiots," but I do think that those of us with multiple degrees/letters behind our names have: earned them, hopefully don't take ourselves to seriously, should take a certain pride in them, are doing something constructive with them.shakenbake said:
Aardvark154 said:
I'd hate to face Aardvark as the opposition in a business negotiation!
For what they do I don't think RN's are fairly well compensated. In the states they work lousy hours and do things that would make most people throw up and only make between $40-$50k annually. I agree some R.N.'s are omniscient in their own minds when it comes to care, but most know their place. Doctors zip in and out of a patients room and its the Nurses who manage most of the care. They are the ones, albeit in conjunction with Doctors orders, that really determine a patients destiny.
Thanks I thinkpetitelover said:
I suppose it depends on what part of North America you're in. In more rural areas R.N.'s are comparatively speaking well compensated. However, I agree that in more urban areas comparatively speaking they aren't. Also anyone who hasn't whether military or civilian had to work an overnight shift doesn't know how much they take out of you and the physical, emotional and heath difficulties they cause. And Nurses have plenty of night shifts! And in that sense they're underpaid.
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