Easily impressed?

[Deleted]

When it comes to what a person's profession is.

It always amazes me when people will look up to others just because of what they do for a living. Even if they may not know them all.

For instance a doctor will be looked up to much more than someone who works in a shop. A university professor will be admired much more than someone say, who works as a bus driver.

Why does that happen? I've never been the kind to look up to someone simply because of the degree they may have or what they do for a living. To me, people are people, and I am more likely to admire someone who shows compassion, honesty, and integrity, regardless of what their job is.

What's you take on this?

[Deleted]

I think that when we are younger, we still carry the imprint of what our elders told us to think -- and they usually told us to look up to the erudite, the rich and the powerful because that's what we were supposed to strive to become.

As we get along with life, many of us learn that it is not that simple, and that sometimes a plumber is a much better friend to have than a university professor.

[bazfaz]

I think a plumber is always a better friend to have than a university professor. I can hear ours working at this very moment.

[Deleted]

Very true. We think alike in so many ways, Kerouac.

I have a family member who is a politician, sure he's a good man, but so are many other people who may work just road sweepers.

This reminds me of true story that someone told me some years back. She worked in a shop that was located in a large complex, with many other shops and apartments etc. Anyway, she would often see this man around, he was rather scruffy looking and kind of unkempt, but he seemed harmless enough. Sometimes he would come to the shop to buy cigarettes or some other item. Then he would wonder around and do a bit of weeding here and there. It was not until a few months later, that she realized that this man actually owned the whole complex, including the store she was working in. She said she was thankful that she was always polite to him, as is her nature. Can you imagine what would have happened is she had told him to get lost, just because she thought he was some kind of vagrant?

[Deleted]

baz, yep, a university professor would be quite useless for you right now.

[fumobici]

Yes, the level of education, success, wealth etc. doesn't really correlate very well to how impressive any given person will be in my experience. I've met too many thoroughly unimpressive people with gaudy CVs and too many incredibly bright, creative and fun people with no credentials to speak of to pay much attention to the criteria we were indoctrinated to believe matters. Very mediocre people can reach the absolute highest societal strata, look at GWB or the financial executives who flew the economy into the dirt.

[Deleted]

Very true, fumobici.

[tillystar]

Yes, what fumboci said.

My cousin is a Doctor but she only uses the title when dealing with telephone complaints/call centres etc. Apparently everyone starts bending over backwards.

I might start calling myself Lady XXX just to see what happens

[imec]

XXX Lady would be funnier...

[fumobici]

;D

[Deleted]

tilly, I imagine you'd get a reaction Okay, maybe not the one you were planning on though!