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What Is Your Occupation?

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BetTheFarm

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I am a fulltime student currently earning degrees in Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics.

Upon graduation, these are my options (listed in order of how much I am willing to do in order to achieve them):

1) Applying my expertise in the private sector (such as theoretical mathematical biology at a biotech firm). Preferably, I'd like to own the company.

2) Earning a Master's and then a Ph.D. and become a Professor of mathematics. Right now I'd like to become either a Geometer or a Number Theorist, but I also am interested in algebraic topology and analysis.

3) Earning the above degrees, but instead becoming a sessional instructor. I believe that teaching math from a rational perspective would be a worthwhile endevour, and I possess the charisma necessary to draw new people into the field.

4) Earning a bachelor of Ed and teaching math in grade school. Currently schools do not properly equip students with the mathematical toolkit necessary for life, let alone university courses.

5) Going into an environmental design program to pursue architecture.

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currently finishing up my 9th and last semester at Indiana University - Bloomington, and recieving B.A.'s in Political Science and Criminal Justice with a minor in business mgmt. I desire to go to law school, but have always been curious of what else is out there. I've worked for the Hudson Institute think tank, landscaped for 6 years, worked as a professional club dj (like, as in, quality electronic music) until i contracted tinnitus.

Now, I aspire to be a historical fiction writer. But my one dreams would be to write a complementary book to Atlas Shrugged from the view of Francisco, rather than Dagny....and formulate what he did to destroy his wealth et al...(but i'm quite sure that I'd have to jump over some legal hoops). Also, am currently working on poetry, writing electronic music, working towards perfecting my mind and body, as well as the perfection of my cooking abilities.

All that aside, i'm still reflecting on the last 22 years of my life after having read AS, TVOS, and C:AUE.

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I'm an equity analyst at S&P (meaning that I evaluate stock investments, not that I measure "income disparities"). I earned the Chartered Financial Analyst designation some years ago as well as an MBA from NYU's Stern School of Business. I consider myself a valuer, so valuing the worth of stocks is a good fit for me. I enjoy developing and applying novel quantitative and qualitative methods to enhance my analytical performance. (I've already seen two others on this list combining finance with math backgrounds, there may already be enough people to start a hedge fund right on this list).

I have a lovely wife also fond of Ayn Rand who is Director of Internal Audit at Cadbury Schweppes Confectionery (North America), and a 3yr old daughter, Athena.

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I’m fininishing my studies of finance and economics. I work part-time as financial risks consultant for international company. Previsously I had worked for two years as financial journalist for majour Czech newspaper. I have studied economics primarily by reading old research reports of companies advising institutional investors, because most of what is taught at our university at Prague – be it Keynesianism, Monetarism or Austrian economics isn’t of much use. I’ve also read classical economist and lot about economic and business history. I’ m also spending lot of time by learning statistics and time series analyses and math which both of these subjects require. Now I’m in the process of being hired as junior trader for futures trading company and I’m excited about prospects of working there.

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  • 5 months later...

After graduating from Franklin Pierce College (Rindge, NH) with a BA in Music, I switched military units (Army Reserve which I joined in 2001 as an Intel Analyst) to become a Unit Administrator for an Army Band. On the reserve side, I'm now the percussion section leader. I also play in a couple civilian bands, but I haven't really "Gone anywhere" with them.

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Apart from Styles here, I notice I am the only member of the military to post so far on this forum. I am a specialist in the U.S. Army and will be attending the University of Montana this fall as part of the Army's Green to Gold program to become an officer.

Just a quick little side question here; what do the objectivists amongst you think of the military? It has been a curiosity of mine since I discovered Objectivism. Ayn Rand says that one of the actuall responsibilities of a government is to provide for the defense of the nation, but how do you all (individually and as a community) feel about those who are in fact "in the service" of something like a nation or government?

I know my stance but am interested in what others have to say.

Edited by elk4586
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Hmmmm...

I'd rather not say. (re my occupation)

You'll have to judge my words as they are, without a "this guy is a <fill in

occupation here>" context.

I like to think of myself as a "savage islander" in mid-pacific, but that would be a delusion.

..though an interesting "avatar" for the purposes of intellectual conversation.

I rather like that idea.

So,.. after further thought,.. I choose to portray Iakeo, a savage islander of the

mid-pacific.

Aloha e mahalo..!

-Iakeo

Edited by Iakeo
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Way to resurrect a dead thread, folks. :pirate:

I'm a Data Entry Clerk working at a Tissue Bank, I also hostess at a spaghetti restaurant and I'm studying for an associate's degree in Creative Writing, looking to turn that into a B.A. in Creative Writing once I get out of this godforsaken burb.

Career goals (this priority, not this order):

1. Write Fantasy/Science Fiction novels until the EMT's pry my cold dead hands off the keyboard.

2. Get married.

3. Have between 1 and 4 kids.

4. Find some way to co-habitate with a cat.

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Well, not to be a person to repeat somebody, but basically i could quote JMeganSnows post and that would be it. :whistle: But I won't do that.

Finish the 8 credits i need to finally earn my degree, then burn that degree because I hate the fact that my value as a writer and as a valuable worker doesn't come from the force of my mind and how I put that force to a task at hand but instead comes in the form of a peice of paper. Sorry for the rant just venting a frustration.

Get out of the hell whole of a warehouse job i am now currently employed.

Write Novels, doesn't really matter either in Fantasy Genre or regular Fiction I just want to write good novels.

Find an Objectivist Woman to marry.

Have some Kids.

Oh and own a dog, a man can't find true happiness with out man's best friend.

And Be happy.

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I'm an electronics engineer; these days I mostly write and integrate software for microprocessor-controlled power amplifiers used in cell phone base stations. I note that the guy who started this thread is an actuary; that's what I wanted to be when I was in seventh grade (based on what I saw in the age thread, that was before nearly all of you were born).

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I'm an art historian. At present I'm working as a curator in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, employed on a project to renovate the gallery of Islamic art. These days I do lots of research and writing of labels, database entries, and so forth. I'm also in demand as a lecturer, and have almost finished a (bloody exhausting) stint guest-teaching one term of a colleague's course at the University of London. When my contract here is up in August 2006, I plan to move to Istanbul to be with my wife, who teaches there.

Can't say I ever thought about being an actuary (though my dad was one)!

Barry Wood

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Manager of a bookstore / philosophy student.

I'm a bookseller for Barnes and Noble, so perhaps we have something in common. I've been working there for 5 years (since I was 16) and I found it to be quite rewarding for a retail job even though retail doesn't pay all that much (I work full-time for another company during the summer, so I save up my money to budget out $150-200/wk for myself)..

I will finish college in Spring 2006 and will apply to the NJ State Police and the NYPD.

Just a quick little side question here; what do the Objectivists amongst you think of the military?

I honor those who serve, most certainly. What troubles me is the political games that are played in Washington DC with our soldiers. I'd be more willing to join the military if it weren't for the altruist-sacrifical creed that plauges Washington today. I'd volunteer in a second to defend America if there was a need, but it seems that our soldiers are more police-officers than soldiers when we have brave men like Marine Lt. Pantano brought up on premeditated murder charges for killing 2 terrorist-insurgents in Iraq.

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I'm an IT Auditor in fashion retail. For the unfamiliar, I basically do computer security analysis.

I totally support working for the military, elk4586. It's a tough job and I'm glad there are people willing and able to do it. Thank you!! You may want to check out "The Question of Scholarships" in The Voice of Reason to get Rand's view on government employment.

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I am finishing up a degree in the Humanities (history, literature, and a bit of philosophy) with the goal to become a teacher, preferably for the fourth and/or fifth grade. I'd either like to work in a Montessori school or possibly start a private tutoring business.

On the side, I currently work with young autistic children as a private therapist. Most of the programs I have worked with incorporate behavioral therapy for the children who are more severely afflicted. However, as much as possible, I use traditional methods (adhering strictly to hierarchies of knowledge) to teach the children how to think, not just memorize and mimic.

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I honor those who serve, most certainly.  What troubles me is the political games that are played in Washington DC with our soldiers.  I'd be more willing to join the military if it weren't for the altruist-sacrifical creed that plauges Washington today. 

My dad (an Army Reserve LTC who introduced me to Ayn Rand) was telling me about a paper he wrote while at OCS (Officer Candidate School), basically saying that the Army Virtue of Selfless service is inappropriate. How, if we have no ambition for ourselves, can we have ambition for our subordinate soldiers? He mentioned that he based it on Rand's writings. He said that if he can find it, he'll send it to me. If I get a chance, I might post it. Apparently, he got an A on the paper, so it must have been decent.

Edited by Styles2112
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  • 1 year later...

I am wondering what type of careers my fellow Objectivists pursue. I have two basic questions:

1. What is your current job?

2. What is it your goal to become? (if not the answer to #1).

My answers:

1. I work in a local pharmacy (which is a pretty good job for someone my age ;) ) I have a lot of duties, my favorite of which is processing and refilling perscriptions;.

2. I want to become a mechanical engineer.

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