Would you/your spouse take a job in these fields if you needed the paycheck?

[Tap]

Dh and I have been having discussions about various job opportunities. We have some differing opinions on various jobs and I wondered how others feel about them. We were discussing how our philosophical views on consumption of alcohol and tobacco, and how that affects what jobs we would be willing to take.

 

If you were philosophically against a item, but still worked for the company, how would you explain that to your kids?

 

Just to isolate variables: Lets say you have enough in savings to live very frugally for 4 more months and then you don't have enough to live on after that. Sole breadwinner can work, the other spouse can not. There are no other income sources (no unemployment, no retirement to pull from, no family/friends). This is the only job that the person has been offered out of a hundred resumes:

 

 

 

 

 

If you were offered one job and it was ......would you/your spouse take that job?

 

company that sells cigarettes and related items.

store that sells glassware for smoking (esp for illegal drugs bongs, pipes etc).

store that sells only alcohol (liquor store, not grocery store)

distributer of hard alcohol (not the distillery)

distributer of wine (not the vineyard itself)

distributer of beer (not the brewery itself)

winery/brewery (where they make and sell beer/wine)

restaurant that predominately promotes alcohol but minors are allowed (brewery that sells food, etc)

bar that sells food (no one under 21 allowed)

the state lottery/or a casino

 

 

ONLY mark the ones you would be willing to work at.

Edited September 14, 2012 by Tap, tap, tap

[justasque]

There are no other income sources (no unemployment, no retirement to pull from, no family/friends). This is the only job that the person has been offered out of a hundred resumes

 

Rule #1 of parenting: you gotta feed your kids. Obviously many/most of us would avoid jobs that conflict with our values (and everyone's list in that regard would be different), but at some point you have to make a living, at least in the short term while you look for better work. It's a luxury to be picky about work when options are limited. Even in sketchy work, you can at least be a voice for doing the right thing, treating others well, advocating for change, etc.

[Hannah]

It's a luxury to be picky about work when options are limited.

 

This.

 

I'd take anything legal, do what I'm paid to do and keep looking for a better opportunity.

[Truscifi]

This.

 

I'd take anything legal, do what I'm paid to do and keep looking for a better opportunity.

 

:iagree: Feeding my kids comes first.

[Trilliums]

At first I was going to post No to first two, yes to the rest. But, honestly, if the first option was ALL that was out there and it was in DH's area of specialization (somehow related to analyzing cigarette composition?), pretty sure DH would take that job. I would be reluctant to relocate for it though.

 

#2 I doubt there would be any kid of job for which DH was well suited.

 

I don't have a problem with any of the others.

 

A large pesticide/herbicide company would cause me more pause. Even then though, I can imagine a situation where it was the only option and we had to go that route.

 

4 months goes by pretty quickly and it can take a while to get a new job lined up. Bills to be paid and kids to be fed.

 

:grouphug: GL with whatever you all decide.

[mom2scouts]

Our state used to have "state liquor stores" and dh and I both worked there. I don't drink at all, but it was a good job.

[eclecticschooler]

Absolutely would take any job to put food on the table and do what had to be done.

[bettyandbob]

If my kids need to eat and the mortgage needs to be paid, I will do anything legal. Given that I have not problem with any alcohol related business. Real desperation would have to set in before I'd work for anything related to tobacco.

[DarlaS]

There are no other income sources (no unemployment, no retirement to pull from, no family/friends).

 

If I'd read this first, I probably would have clicked every single one.

 

Rule #1 of parenting: you gotta feed your kids. Obviously many/most of us would avoid jobs that conflict with our values (and everyone's list in that regard would be different), but at some point you have to make a living, at least in the short term while you look for better work. It's a luxury to be picky about work when options are limited. Even in sketchy work, you can at least be a voice for doing the right thing, treating others well, advocating for change, etc.

 

:iagree:

 

And that's what I'd tell my kids. Doing what you must to take care of your family is not wrong.

[elegantlion]

Any and all. My dh's last job was a stop gap measure to keep us from drowning. He worked there 9 months, hated every moment.

[regentrude]

I do not have any objections to alcohol consumption, so working for distributors or breweries would not be an issue. I like to drink wine ;-)

Even though I personally detest cigarettes, I see it as every person's individual choice to smoke or not, so working in a tobacco factory would not cause me any moral qualms.

I would have no moral objections to any of these jobs.

 

And if it was about feeding my family, I would do anything that is legal. The above choices are.

[Mommy22alyns]

Nowadays, yes, every one. You can't be too picky right now.

[applethyme]

Caring for the family comes before anything else. I would work at any or all if my choice is that or my kids being hungry.

[MissKNG]

The sole breadwinner is dh and he would not have any problem working at any of those jobs listed.

[celticmom]

I would work in any of those establishments if necessary. The only requirement I have is that I will not work somewhere that has alot of secondhand smoke in the work envoirnment. I can't due to asthma (and besides the resulting doctor bills would probably be more than I was making).

[mommymilkies]

Rule #1 of parenting: you gotta feed your kids. Obviously many/most of us would avoid jobs that conflict with our values (and everyone's list in that regard would be different), but at some point you have to make a living, at least in the short term while you look for better work. It's a luxury to be picky about work when options are limited. Even in sketchy work, you can at least be a voice for doing the right thing, treating others well, advocating for change, etc.

 

:iagree:

[Crimson Wife]

I wasn't sure if the first one was a tobacco manufacturer or just someplace that sells cigarettes. The answer you be "no" to the first but "yes" to the second.

 

I don't have a moral problem with alcohol or gambling when they are done in moderation.

[Pretty in Pink]

Kids have to eat. I'd do what I had to do to put food on the table, I suppose. I'm not philosophically opposed to drinking or smoking so that wouldn't be a problem for me.

 

I think the only things I wouldn't do are sell illegal drugs, prostitute, things like that. Work in a liquor store? Sure. Drive a cigarette truck? You betcha.

[katilac]

I would pretty much take any legal job whatsoever under those circumstances.

 

I would explain it to my kids if needed, but I wouldn't burden them with my internal struggles unless they asked. I'm sure plenty of kids wouldn't think twice about the fact that mom works in a restaurant that sells liquor, even though she doesn't drink herself. If they did ask, I would be simple and straight forward. I choose not to gamble but plenty of other people make different decisions. They are adults and it is up to them. It is legal, and, as everyone in this family very much enjoys eating, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

 

The poll is a little hard to answer. Personally, I would not have a problem working at a grocery store that sells tobacco products, but I would struggle mightily with writing an ad campaign that promotes smoking, kwim? But turning down those jobs tends to be about more money rather than less, rather than some money as opposed to none.

 

In all honesty, it would bother me a lot if a parent I knew refused a job under such dire circumstances. I would think it very irresponsible. If there is still no job in four months, the family will be taking government assistance, which most certainly includes liquor, tobacco, and gambling money.

[MedicMom]

I live somewhere where two of the top five industries are wineries and casinos.

Nobody I know feels guilty about working in either one. Even those who do have some moral qualms about gambling or drinking.

 

I don't have moral problems with any of those above, so I wouldnt have a problem. I hate smoking and don't want to breathe it in, but if that's your thing go ahead and buy tobacco.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Ok, my limited experience is causing me issues with this one. For example, who is between Budweiser and Walmart? I've never been in a bar so I don't know about that either.

 

And I can't think of a restaurant that is mostly a bar but families are there often. I think I probably could work there.

 

Would I work at a corner store? Yes. They sell cigs and alcohol and lottery tickets to a large degree; but, yes I would.

I wouldn't work in a smoke store or beer barn or whatever.

I wouldn't work with a casino.

[Element]

Any of the listed options would be fine. Earlier this year, my dh was without work for a few weeks and it was definitely scary. I know many families have dealt with unemployment for years, so I know how lucky he was to find work quickly. I love that he is willing to do whatever it takes to feed his family, and I will always be proud of him, whatever he is doing (um.. as long as it's legal. :tongue_smilie:)

[elegantlion]

Ok, my limited experience is causing me issues with this one. For example, who is between Budweiser and Walmart? I've never been in a bar so I don't know about that either.

 

And I can't think of a restaurant that is mostly a bar but families are there often. I think I probably could work there.

 

 

 

Distributers, drivers, people that actually stock the shelves at Walmart. Many companies have their own employees putting items on the shelves, Frito-Lay does in our area. Coke products, etc. These are put on the shelves by Walmart employees, at least not in our area.

[MomatHWTK]

I would probably spend the 4 months prayer hard. :grouphug:

 

ETA: I also had less problems with the distributor and the general restaurant. Some of the jobs were locations I would feel were unsafe (they get robbed a lot in our area) so they would be last on the list regardless of any moral qualms.

[Joanne]

I would not work in a head shop or casino. I would (and have) in the others.

[Audrey]

This.

 

I'd take anything legal, do what I'm paid to do and keep looking for a better opportunity.

 

:iagree: Yep.

[Tap]

The early results are interesting to me. This is a hypothetical situation that arose from dh perusing job ads.

 

We both have a lot of similar experiences in all three areas. We have both worked in convenience stores and have sold tobacco, alcohol, and lottery. We both have drank, smoked, and he smoked a bit of MJ in school (I didn't but was good friends with dealers so I was around it a lot :) ). We have both bought an occasional lottery ticket.

 

The point that we differed on was that he saw no difference in being a beer distributer than a cigarette salesmen. To me there was a difference. I know that if we were in this position, he would do what it takes to feed us, but I would have a hard time with it ethically. It is interesting to me that a significant amout of other people felt the same.

 

My point was that cigarettes are chemically designed to be addicting. The others are addicting by nature, but not chemically altered to be so.

 

He feels that people have free will and drink, smoke, gamble and that they are equally moral/immoral.

 

 

The one thing that does surprise me, is that gambling is running about the same stats as cigarettes. I am curious why people feel this way about it.

[Impish]

Do what ever needs to be done to keep a roof and food. Period. Can always keep looking for something else, but in the meantime, telling kids, "Sorry you're hungry, but we refuse to work at _____" isn't ok w/me.

[angela in ohio]

Alcohol yes, tobacco yes, gambling no.

[higginszoo]

Would have to think hard about the first, but barring other options, might. Probably not on the second, the rest would be ok ... doing anything that is primarily connected with illegal activity wouldn't be worth the possibility of being associated with the illegal activity IMO. Going to jail won't help certain situations. My dad had to make this choice once. He found out his boss was involved in something illegal and quit. His partner stayed. The company was busted and his partner spent a couple of years in jail. His reasoning for keeping the job to support his wife and son backfired when he couldn't provide for them from prison. It was guilt by association, a sad situation. Incidentally, my dad's job that he took after he quit the job with the associations to illegal activity was as a driver for a beer distributor.

Edited September 13, 2012 by higginszoo

[justLisa]

Do what ever needs to be done to keep a roof and food. Period. Can always keep looking for something else, but in the meantime, telling kids, "Sorry you're hungry, but we refuse to work at _____" isn't ok w/me.

 

I would have to agree with that.

[Melissa in Australia]

I would not work in any shop that sells drug paraphernalia.

Here every supermarket sells alcohol and tobacco. so job prospects would be pretty limited if you rule out every supermarket and corner store.

[lailasmum]

I would struggle with the first two and the last one. Having said that I have worked in shops that sold cigarettes. I would struggle with working directly for a cigarette company though, I'd rather clean toilets.

[Dory]

I see a liqueur store as being different in feel from a winery. I also see a casino as being different from smoking and alcohol. People who smoke and drink end up costing the rest of us because of the health issues. People who gamble mostly cost themselves and their own family. All that being said. We are so close to be self sustaining that I think I would take the jump to going all the way before I would have my dh or myself working at a liquor store.

[fraidycat]

Everything but the bongs, unless we were starving. Then, we'd sell the bongs, too.

 

I have nothing against alcohol, tobacco, or gambling, though. They are all legal in this country.

[stripe]

Nm

Edited September 13, 2012 by stripe

[LucyStoner]

I can think of pretty much nothing legal I would not be willing to do for my kids to have their basic needs met. Anyone who is saying they would refuse a legal job clearly has never experienced a level of poverty that makes such priveleges as ideological agreement a luxury. I am an anti-tabacco, pacifist, environmentalist and Democrat. If the alternative choice was hunger for my kids, I would work for Phillip Morris or heck, Monsanto or Halliburton. I would rather do other jobs, heck work at a sewage treatment plant or as a cocktail waitress, but the question was if there were no other choices. I wouldn't do any of those things for a lot of money (I have turned down higher paying work I disagreed with) but if I wasn't going to be able to feed my kids I would make it work until something else was possible.

[nukeswife]

My husbands exact response was "Hey, as long as it doesn't get me arrested"

[AdventureMoms]

If there was no other income source? I'd work at any of those. The first one would bother me most. Most of the alcohol related ones wouldn't bother me at all. I drink occasionally, and someone has to be around to sell me that bottle of wine. I also enjoy casinos occasionally.

[justamouse]

I have no problems working in any of them.

 

I think I would have a harder time working at a slaughter factory than working at any of those. And I still buy the meat from the slaughterhouse.

 

I still buy things from China, and I still have a Mac.

 

I still wear T shirts, and clothes I'm pretty sure were made in sweatshops.

 

I don't understand these moral lines, unless you are holding yourself to a standard that is fairly impossible to take in this country.

[JenC3]

Like a pp poster said, I'd hate working for Monsanto, Tyson, or Perdue, etc. more than the poll list.

If I can't lose my kids from dong it I'm there.

[hsmom23]

Do what ever needs to be done to keep a roof and food. Period. Can always keep looking for something else, but in the meantime, telling kids, "Sorry you're hungry, but we refuse to work at _____" isn't ok w/me.

 

A lot of you said essentially this. I am curious would you work for a gentlemens club or be ok with your husband working for the equivalent. Its legal, but I think this would be the worst last ditch option for us to have to consider. I just don't know if I would ever be able to force ourselves to be ok with it.

Edited September 14, 2012 by hsmom23
clarify

[justamouse]

A lot of you said essentially this. I am curious would you work for a gentlemens club or be ok with your husband working for the equivalent. Its legal, but I think this would be the worst last ditch option for us to have to consider. I just don't know if I would ever be able to force ourselves to be ok with it.

 

Apples and oranges.

 

Those jobs don't come between you as husband and wife. Doing something like stripping does.

[gardenmom5]

none of the above - no option in the poll.

[stripe]

A lot of you said essentially this. I am curious would you work for a gentlemens club or be ok with your husband working for the equivalent. Its legal, but I think this would be the worst last ditch option for us to have to consider. I just don't know if I would ever be able to force ourselves to be ok with it.

 

I have a hard time believing these are the only options. Sure, one might make more money doing those things, but the only option? :001_huh: Anyway if one believes these things are morally wrong, I think it is strange that the person would support them. The person should exhaust themselves looking for other options even if they are not so well paying. I also didn't know there were so many teetotalers on the forum.

[IsabelC]

It's hard to say. I'm guessing that if it really came down to it, we'd probably do anything it takes to stop our children from starving (short of such extremes as murder, selling the girls as sex slaves, etc). But I'll probably never know, since I'm fortunate enough to live somewhere with pretty comprehensive welfare.

 

The only one you listed that we've actually experienced was when dh had the chance of a job at a casino. It would have been quite interesting, but he declined that because we do not participate in or support gambling in any form. But dh knew that there were other jobs around and it wouldn't be too long before he found one, and sure enough it was only a matter of a couple of weeks before something better came along.

Edited September 14, 2012 by Hotdrink

[hsmom23]

Apples and oranges.

 

Those jobs don't come between you as husband and wife. Doing something like stripping does.

 

 

I agree, I was just curious if there were people that were saying they would do anything that would/wouldn't do these jobs. Also, many people said anything legal they would do, and this is legal.

 

Just for the record, neither one of us would work in a bar or place that mostly serves alcohol or directly for a cigarette company or for the store that sells questionable paraphenelia. Convenience stores, Applebees, etc. if I had to last resort.

Edited September 14, 2012 by hsmom23

[Impish]

A lot of you said essentially this. I am curious would you work for a gentlemens club or be ok with your husband working for the equivalent. Its legal, but I think this would be the worst last ditch option for us to have to consider. I just don't know if I would ever be able to force ourselves to be ok with it.

Bwah hahahaha! I've had 5 kids. They'd pay me to LEAVE.

 

Honestly, if the only choices were stripping or starving, I have no pride if it means the difference btwn my kids eating or not, being homeless or not. I'd do what ever I legally could to provide my kids w/the basics. Not providing them w/the basics is considered criminal neglect according to CPS, if I'm not mistaken.

 

If our choices were either Wolf or I strip, or lose our kids...

*cue You Can Leave Your Hat On*

[Dustybug]

I'll go against the grain and say that DH and I would not work at any place that went against our beliefs which would include pretty much all of those choices. We have both waited tables in restaurants with bars, but they weren't bars that served food. Does that make sense? The primary purpose of the establishments were to feed people, the bar was merely an option.

 

We've been in a position where DH was unemployed and he is the sole breadwinner. We didn't have much savings and it was gone FAST. He diligently searched for employment, but would never have even looked at places like those. We believe the Lord would have provided for us (and He did!) as long as we lean on Him. We certainly had very lean times, but our children never starved.

[katilac]

A lot of you said essentially this. I am curious would you work for a gentlemens club or be ok with your husband working for the equivalent. Its legal, but I think this would be the worst last ditch option for us to have to consider. I just don't know if I would ever be able to force ourselves to be ok with it.

 

Yes, I would. I would probably wait out the four months mentioned in the OP, but if my kids were hungry? Yes, and I would sell bongs on the side. There's a great, great scene in The Jungle about this (the moms doing immoral things so the kids don't starve).

 

Bwah hahahaha! I've had 5 kids. They'd pay me to LEAVE.

 

I hear you! "Give me the money, and nobody gets naked," :lol: