Yes totally Geoffrey. I have been caring for others since I was 10. I started my nurse training at 18 and had already had several years working in care prior to that. I was a nurse in Hong Kong and USA and have worked as a nurse here in UK until 2009 when I gained extended qualifications, worked as an advanced nurse practitioner until eventually going into higher education. Obs here and HK I worked for governmental healthcare systems. At times in my life, management career paths have been dangled in front of me. I just hated the idea of not being able to care for people. We are not unique, in fact many social commentators, Jeremy Rifkin amongst them, believe caring and cooperation is the human norm and competitiveness and greed a bioligical abhorration.

Yeah some of the same in medicine depending on where you work now retired P.A.I have been given a opportunity to do some volunteer work in 3rd world countries providing health care to those who have none. 8day trips missing this month to Guatemala will make October to Haiti. Most of us going are ex military(not a place earn big bucks) and not shocked by where we go

I worked for a corporation that involved renting apartments for many years. I was the office manager, bookkeeper, PR person and supervised staff. I felt like I was making lots of money for cold hearted, cruel millionaires who had no concerned for the residents living there.

I had to seriously hunt for ways to help people at the same time obey local, state and federal laws. I had to play by the rules as far as the actual renting process.

I found that I had leeway as far as allowing people to terminate their lease for family and financial problems. It was up to me which clients were turned over to collections.

As far as the eviction pocess was concerned I had to strictly obey all laws. But nothing stopped me from calling residents in advance to the sheriff's coming out to evict them.

I knew of many agencies that assisted with rental payments.

I really loathed the companies that I worked for. Only one owner in all those years truly cared about the residents and I respected him for that.

I think it is ... I have felt more alive by feeling capable of being there for others.

I have only worked very briefly for other people's profits and I didn't find the experience congenial. Most of my life was spent in the public or voluntary sector and I have always felt I was doing something worthwhile. Sadly, that option is not open to everyone.

I'm suffering through paramedic school for that very reason.

Congratulations, Geoffrey. You are an empath. Welcome to a small (but hopefully growing) club of people who feel a higher calling, namely doing something that benefits humanity.

Being I've never worked for what would be considered a large corporation I cannot identify with that, having worked in smaller companies where there is person-to-person communication and skills required of each individual I can agree with what you're saying. I took a year off around the turn of the century and worked as a bartender I liked that very much they gave me insights into other people's realities.

Yes. I'd prefer to be doing something actually helpful, that does some good in the world.

I've never been a very good corporate worker bee.
I, like you, have always done better, and felt better about the work I was doing,
when it was for the benefit of other people.

Agreed. I know that feeling.

It’s called “making your time worthwhile”...

I can relate...I felt disconnected in the corporate structure, I kept wondering where are the benefits for people. When I went into doing private duty nursing I felt much different and earned respect and I felt that I was offering something worth while.

If you are intelligent and aware, working for a corporation should put you in a constant state of rage.

It could be the limits of our ability to see. I used to work for a big corporation and it seemed utterly pointless. Then I set up my own business, and have been a sole trader for more than thirty years, my whole working life revolves around serving my customers and since there is only me, (plus one other for a while,) the one to one relationship I have with them. It maybe that when I worked for the company, my positive contribution to the world and the wellbeing of its people was greater than it is now, but it did not seem so.

Helping others is what Buddhists call "Right Livelihood."

I suspect that most of my working life I have been curious as to how a man or woman can first thing in the morning leave home expressing love to spouse and children and by the time they reach their corporate office have like Dr Jekyll turned into Mr Hyde and become a sociopathic or psychopathic monster prepared to lie, cheat and cause death in the pursuit of a few paltry dollars.

Yes I can relate. When I am volunteering towards a common societal good or involved in something that will help disadvantaged populations I feel good and energized. When I am doing things purely concerned with making money, it is not fulfilling. I will do it to the best of my ability as the perfectionist I am, but I am much more likely to quit or leave it or have no energy or desire to go back to it day in and day out.

I feel pretty much the same as you do.

Agreed. I got a Master of Public Administration degree because I get the greatest reward doing work that helps other people.

Was never happy working for the man in the large business work world. Everything is too impersonal.

I worked for a paycheck at the Dept of Defense for 32 years.Oklahoma has never had many other kinds of well paying jobs. My work life definitely did not fulfill me. I did volunteer for women's organizations and was able to help many women get better paying jobs within the DOD. I occasionally tried to convince myself that it was the Department of Defense instead of the War Department. I was never successful.

It varies man to man.

I’ve felt pretty fulfilled at all my corporate jobs. Though, I’m not sure which ones were actual corporations.

Working sucks ass, no matter what we do.

no