On Mon, 29 Jul 1996 [log in to unmask] wrote:

> I thought anyone going into a museum field knew they weren't going to get
> rich.  That one did this work because they loved what they were doing.
>  Admittedly, that doesn't pay the bills, but it seems that everyone has lost
> sight of why they chose this profession.
>
I know this topic is rather hoary, and this response has been heard
before (in various versions), but I just can't help myself:  Is it a crime
to love one's work?  Does it have to be one way or the other, i.e.: great
job = poverty wage, or lousy job = excellent pay?  Maybe we should ask
Michael Jordan about that...

The real answer, of course, lies in the value society puts on the job you
do.  Clearly, society as a whole does not put a whole lot of value on
museums, or the people who work in them.  If it were otherwise, museums
would have lots of money (public support) and could afford to pay their
staff much better salaries. I'm really glad that we all love our jobs
because that's the only real compensation for the lousy pay, long hours,
and often pitiful working conditions.  It's too bad, but things are not
going to change for the better any time soon!

Chris J.-Andersen ([log in to unmask])

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