Fundamental or Instrumental?

Are you a person who has chosen his or her career path for instrumental reasons? Do you do things, as Daniel Pink explains, "because you think it's going to lead to something else, regardless of whether you enjoy it or it's worthwhile"? Perhaps, it's a high paying career choice?

OR

Are you a person who has chosen his or her career path due to fundamental reasons? Have you chosen your college major because it will let you do interesting work even you don't know exactly where it will lead?

Why do you think you are a fundamental or instrumental kind of person?

Comments

  1. lorenloveFebruary 27, 2011 at 5:43 PM

    I think that I am both fundamental and instrumental.I chose my career path becauae I know that it is a great career,I know it will take me places in life and I will be financially stable.I also want to enjoy my job and with my career path as a child psychologist that can happen. My career will also let me do interesting things and I will get exposed to different types of people. I will be able to work at a school rehab centers and child services. I just want to give to others and help liberate people.

    ReplyDelete
  2. FAB_LadeeMarch 7, 2011 at 12:37 PM

    As I grew up, my parents had set out a plan for me to do well in school,graduate from college, and go to medical school. It made me think instrumentally because seemed that it is always better to have a safe carrer where you are ensured a well-off salary than an unstable job.

    As I've aged, I've realized that my parents' plan was not made more me and I needed to be selfish for once and do what I love.I've been wanting to break out into Beauty merchandising and marketing. I suppose I've grown to think fundamentally now since it'd make me happier and more whole as a person in the long run doing something I am passionate for.

    I suppose, I would say that I was an instrumental kind of person, but I grew into someone who is a fundamental one.

    -Kimly Nguyen (Eng.116)

    ReplyDelete
  3. xlindalieuJune 6, 2011 at 5:45 PM

    At first I think I chose my major for more of an instrumental purpose, because Nursing gives very promising and rewarding benefits in the future. But after reading Johnny Bunko, I changed my plans and headed for something more fundamental.
    Studying to become a Vet is something I've always had in the back of my mind. My whole family could see it ever since I was young. It's really not a shocker that I gave up my Nursing career for my childhood dream.

    ReplyDelete
  4. MichaelaOctober 6, 2011 at 7:44 PM

    I think my career choice is fundamental. I picked it because it was something I was really interested in and knew I would like. I realize that making money is necessary, but I'm not willing to work a job I hate to make a lot of money. Enjoying what I do is more important to me, which is neither good nor bad. Some people are much more interested in making a lot because it will lead to a better, more comfortable life later. I'm more concerned with spending my life doing something I care about, even if I end up living in a tiny loft above a restaurant.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gordon ChengOctober 6, 2011 at 8:07 PM

    I think I'm going towards a fundamental reason, because overall, computer science is going along with the exponential growth of technology. It's interesting, but I don't know where it's headed in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Khalid GhafariOctober 24, 2011 at 4:54 PM

    Until recently I was an instrumental person. I did things because of where it would lead me, for example I worked in many different jobs to be able to make a living. However recently I realized that life is not forever and that I wanted to do something I like and will not regret later on in life. Now I have chosen a career path I like and will follow it until the end to be able to achieve where I want to be.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousNovember 10, 2011 at 2:31 PM

    I am definitely a person that has chosen my career path for fundamental reasons. I’ve wanted to be a nurse, or lawyer for instrumental reasons but not only were they too time consuming to pursue, but I never really had any interest in those fields. I want to become a probation officer and work in the youth department because I genuinely believe that helping kids will bring me happiness. Through my fellow students I have learned that my career path will most likely not lead me to major financial stability as my other career plans before would have, but I don’t think it matters to me all that much because I truly believe that I will enjoy doing my job more than the money I will receive,and that it will pay off in the end.----> your Elena

    ReplyDelete
  8. nikhil1423November 28, 2011 at 9:47 AM

    i think i am a bit of both. on one hand, i am going to switch to a geology major because i really enjoy learning about the earth, and that joy was magnified this quarter in my geology class. on the other hand, my parents own a hotel business so i plan on also running that someday which is mainly because of the money it will get me. my main career path will be geology, which i am mainly doing for the joy but also partially for the money. the hotel part will mainly be on the side which is my backup in case the geology idea doesnt work out.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Superpower Would You Choose?

Image
Do you want to fly? Would you like be invisible? How about superhuman strength or X-ray vision? My superpower of choice is to be able to speak every language in the Universe - from Elven to Italian, Mandarin to Romulan, cat to bat, and everything in between. I'd like to hear (or receive, if it's a telepathic language) everybody's story in their own language and understand all the delicate nuances intelligent beings can fashion. Speaking of stories . . . think of the stories these guys could tell. Imagine talking to Thor in Asgardian or being able to translate all the spells from the stacks at Hogwart's (BTW - the best class EVER!). So what superpower would you choose?
Read more

17 Majors Where you Might Not Find a Job

Image
Forbes just released a list of  " 17 college majors that report higher unemployment ." This report completed by PayScale, polled 962,956 workers between March 2014 and March 2016. What they found may or may not be surprising depending on your major, but it correlates with the idea that popular majors may not be the best choice when it comes to finding a job. So let's take a look. No. 1 - Physical Education Teaching. 56.4% underemployment. No. 2. - Human Services. 55.6% underemployment. No. 3 - Illustration. 54.7% underemployment. No. 4 - Criminal Justice. 53% underemployment. No. 5 - Project Management. 52.8% underemployment. No. 6 - Radio/Television and Film Production. 52.6% underemployment. No. 7 - Studio Art. 52.0% underemployment. No. 8 - Health Care Administration. 51.8 % underemployment. No. 9 - Education. 51.8% underemployment. No. 10 - Human Development and Family Studies. 51.5% underemployment. No. 11 - Creative Writing. 51.1% unde...
Read more

MLA Citations

Image
When you reach college you will be writing a variety of research papers and by the time you reach second year English, your instructors expect that you know how to paraphrase, quote, use in-text citations, and create a works cited page entry in your sleep. Why is citation important? Plagiarism is one thing that can get your kicked out of college. Your ideas and your writing belong to you. Just like my thoughts and my writings belong to me and Shakespeare's thoughts and writings belong to him. So give credit where credit is due. Here are a couple of quizzes to test your knowledge: Click on the link for an In-Text Citation Quiz offered by McGraw-Hill Click on the next link for a Works Cited Quiz created by McGraw-Hill . So how did you do? Were you surprised by how much you knew about in-text citations and works cited entries? Or how much you need to learn? Don't worry it's not too late there are all kinds of online resources for avoiding plagiarism. I would also r...
Read more