Asking “so what do you do for a living?” when meeting someone new as if their job defines them. It’s one of the first questions Americans will ask someone when meeting them for the first time. I am American, but as I understand it, this question is far less common elsewhere in the world.
There are worse first questions.
Like the “Where are you from? No, I mean originally” you get asked in Germany if you aren’t white and straight-haired.
I can have so much fun with that question! Esp. because in German (“Wo kommst du her?”) I can logically answer “from work” first, then my home, then I ask them to specify what they mean by originally. By that point they are usually sufficiently humbled.
Some keep on stumbling not realizing that the words they choose don’t matter, it’s their attitude I resist.
And if someone asks me that question before asking my name I refuse to answer anyhow.
Born and raised in the US to Asian immigrant parents. The “are you Chinese or Japanese” question was rampant even before the episode of King of the Hill came out. So many others too:
Do you ever go back? (Sure, but it’s my parents that “go back”, the US is my home and I’ve never lived overseas long enough to feel attached to another place)
What’s it like in Taiwan/Taipei? (Not sure, I’ve only ever been to the airport on my way to ThaiLAND)
So do you know karate/kung fu? (Yeah, because all Asian people are born with an innate knowledge of martial arts without any kind of training or instruction)
I feel it’s a bit tacky as a first question, but if I’m not asking it at some point I personally feel like I’m not making a real effort to know someone.
For a lot of people I think it’s just their go-to ice breaker since most people have a job or some kind of education they are involved in.
I personally really enjoy hearing about many people jobs since they really open my eyes to a different lifestyles and working environments out there, or I might get the scoop on workplace drama stories.
I usually wait for the other person to bring up work. There’s no reason to assume, because idk, maybe they’re a stay at home parent, maybe they’re in between jobs or just got laid off, maybe they do work but it’s shitty. There are all sorts of reasons someone wouldn’t want to talk about it.
If they answer with hobbies and interests, they’re more my kind of person. If they answer with their job stuff, well that’s just their main life thing.
you’re not giving much back in the conversation here. if probably respond to your response with something out of pocket like “oh is that like just sitting around and waiting to die or what”
I just ask, in a screaming tone, WHO DOES NUMBER TWO WORK FOR???
They usually just look at me, and assume there’s been some kind of language barrier. Nope. I’m just referencing an obscure scene that nobody remembers from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. A film that came out in 1997. So a lot of people these days weren’t even BORN when that movie came out.
This has always gotten under my skin as well. I generally downplay it to make my job sound as common as possible, and I do not return the question. What I do for money has very little influence on who I am or what I enjoy.
Asking “so what do you do for a living?” when meeting someone new as if their job defines them. It’s one of the first questions Americans will ask someone when meeting them for the first time. I am American, but as I understand it, this question is far less common elsewhere in the world.
There are worse first questions.
Like the “Where are you from? No, I mean originally” you get asked in Germany if you aren’t white and straight-haired.
I can have so much fun with that question! Esp. because in German (“Wo kommst du her?”) I can logically answer “from work” first, then my home, then I ask them to specify what they mean by originally. By that point they are usually sufficiently humbled.
Some keep on stumbling not realizing that the words they choose don’t matter, it’s their attitude I resist.
And if someone asks me that question before asking my name I refuse to answer anyhow.
Omg this fucking question.
I swear, white people never get asked that question.
It’s always like Hispanics/Latinos and Asians getting asked that.
I think I’ve internalized it a bit that I realized when I was in school, I never asked where the white classmates are from.
Feel so weird that “white” is “default” in the US.
Makes me feel like a perpetual foreigner.
Born and raised in the US to Asian immigrant parents. The “are you Chinese or Japanese” question was rampant even before the episode of King of the Hill came out. So many others too:
Do you ever go back? (Sure, but it’s my parents that “go back”, the US is my home and I’ve never lived overseas long enough to feel attached to another place)
What’s it like in Taiwan/Taipei? (Not sure, I’ve only ever been to the airport on my way to ThaiLAND)
So do you know karate/kung fu? (Yeah, because all Asian people are born with an innate knowledge of martial arts without any kind of training or instruction)
The ocean? What ocean?
That when you respond with: “If you don’t shut your god-damn mouth, I’mma have to use those moves on you”
I said something along these lines and had to wrestle with a large Trailer-Trash-American kid in 3rd grade. 2/5, would not recommend.
I feel it’s a bit tacky as a first question, but if I’m not asking it at some point I personally feel like I’m not making a real effort to know someone.
For a lot of people I think it’s just their go-to ice breaker since most people have a job or some kind of education they are involved in.
I personally really enjoy hearing about many people jobs since they really open my eyes to a different lifestyles and working environments out there, or I might get the scoop on workplace drama stories.
I usually wait for the other person to bring up work. There’s no reason to assume, because idk, maybe they’re a stay at home parent, maybe they’re in between jobs or just got laid off, maybe they do work but it’s shitty. There are all sorts of reasons someone wouldn’t want to talk about it.
Also, “where do you go to church?”
I just try not to be around people that would ask that
I like the phrase “make a living” though because it doesn’t necessarily refer to economical stuff.
I ask, “So what do you do?”
If they answer with hobbies and interests, they’re more my kind of person. If they answer with their job stuff, well that’s just their main life thing.
If you ask an American they will assume you MEAN their job, whether it’s their “main life thing” or not, because that’s how people talk here
My default answer to that is ‘As little as possible.’
you’re not giving much back in the conversation here. if probably respond to your response with something out of pocket like “oh is that like just sitting around and waiting to die or what”
Well aren’t you just a barrel of laughs :)
Depends on where in America, too. It literally is question #1 in D.C., but has been less so elsewhere, in my experience.
I just ask, in a screaming tone, WHO DOES NUMBER TWO WORK FOR???
They usually just look at me, and assume there’s been some kind of language barrier. Nope. I’m just referencing an obscure scene that nobody remembers from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. A film that came out in 1997. So a lot of people these days weren’t even BORN when that movie came out.
Can we get a courtesy flush?
You show that turd who’s boss!
This has always gotten under my skin as well. I generally downplay it to make my job sound as common as possible, and I do not return the question. What I do for money has very little influence on who I am or what I enjoy.