tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post8496473346665655294..comments2024-03-27T03:19:11.216-04:00Comments on Assistant Village Idiot: MemoryAssistant Village Idiothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-10644777463133135222011-09-08T14:41:05.111-04:002011-09-08T14:41:05.111-04:00One of my high school friends went into a social w...One of my high school friends went into a social work-type job. I would have rated him rather low on the empathy scale, and will spare readers some of the things he said which led me to that conclusion. OTOH, that lack of empathy may have assisted him in his specialty, which was putting people on welfare to work.<br /><br />I had some exposure to what social work is like when I worked as an aide in my undergrad years, including a year at a psych hospital. For those who want concrete results, it can be a frustrating field, because so often all one is doing is maintenance, not improvement. <br /><br />It appears that AVI is one of the few right wing social workers.<br /><br />My time as an aide gave me ammunition for my turning into a right winger for at least two reasons. First, I saw that funds were limited while desires for programs were infinite. Unpleasant choices and tradeoffs were therefore inevitable. It wasn't an issue of the right wing meanies preventing the arrival of the millenium.<br /><br />Second, I saw that all too often experts were unable to achieve the results they desired. As a result, I developed a skepticism towards those who said that they had the social program to beat all social programs that would turn things around if only the program were funded. Yeah, right. <br /><br />Just like the Stimulus Package, unfortunately.<br /><br />The problem is that while we want solutions, and may hope we have solutions, for so many of life's conundrums we do not have solutions. Yet those who want ever more government-funded social programs claim that they have the solutions.Gringonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-84915705959512959102011-09-08T00:13:41.947-04:002011-09-08T00:13:41.947-04:00It would be one thing if social work involved ridi...It would be one thing if social work involved riding horses, wearing cool hats and those wicked awesome boots.Dubbahdeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00075702513873912334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-44331178131123162742011-09-06T21:48:22.875-04:002011-09-06T21:48:22.875-04:00I could never work in social services. My empathy...I could never work in social services. My empathy is near zero and my patience is several notches below that. Consider yourself a saint.Sponge-headed ScienceManhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12914014641719908195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-43130609247661984052011-09-06T20:44:20.064-04:002011-09-06T20:44:20.064-04:00I don't think I could handle that kind of job....I don't think I could handle that kind of job. Kids stress my patience already.<br /><br />I gather there are jobs with similar <a href="http://www.web-books.com/Classics/Poetry/Anthology/Kipling/Tommy.htm" rel="nofollow">social benefits</a>.jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01792036361407527304noreply@blogger.com