Me first, Screw Everybody Else.

While this week’s rant ties in to pharmacy (it has to, I’m a pharmacist and my rants are of course affected by my own experiences) it is more of a general commentary on society, and specifically the “me first” mentality that seems to be more and more prevalent (which it probably isn’t but these things always seem to get worse with time). 

I work in a rural Saskatchewan community, and as is often the case in this type of setting, I’m the only pharmacist in my store.  As per the regulations of the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists, and due to the fact that I do not presently have a “Lock and Leave” dispensary, I am required to be present in my pharmacy at all times while the store is open.  This means 8:30am to 6:00pm no lunch breaks and no coffee breaks (I occasionally take a bathroom break, but only when my bladder is ready to explode, and even then I’m sometimes on the phone while in the loo).  Now, I’m not complaining, I knew when I came back to run this pharmacy that this would be the case, so I’m fine with it.  During the summer, when I open my pharmacy on Saturday I also work that entire shift without a break (once again as I am required).  This means, I work Monday through Saturday with no breaks.  Thankfully, I only get called in for “emergencies” on Sundays once every other week so I get the odd day off here and there.

This work schedule comes in handy.  Those of you who read this and know me personally know that I absolutely despise my wife and son and absolutely hate spending any quality time with them.  I prefer to work and am considering opening my pharmacy from 9am to 9pm seven days a week to appease the old retirees in my community who need a place to shop late at night.  (Please note, the preceding paragraph is just oozing with sarcasm in case you didn’t pick up on it).

Last week one of my co-workers was on vacation.  Her husband owns his own electrical business.  We were discussing how, when they let it be known that they were going on vacation, they were getting harassed.  Once again the “me first” attitude rears it’s ugly head.

So how does the “me first” attitude work?  Well, allow me to enlighten you oh faithful reader (and please bare with me, I ramble).  The one thing about people is most of us like to “save face”.  I will elaborate; suppose, for example, I call a town hall meeting.  While at the meeting I propose the following statement: “By a show of hands, how many of you feel it is important for people to be able spend time with their family outside of work?”  Similary I ask, again by a show of hands, about vacation, lunch breaks, coffee breaks, and personal time for family emergencies.  I guarantee you that every single hand in the room would shoot up, and I believe that the people would be sincere when saying so.  You see, the “me first” attitude hasn’t kicked in yet.

Nope, we see the “me first” attitude show up when my co-worker and her husband want to take vacation.  “Oh sure, it’s good for them to get away, everyone needs a break now and then” people will say… right up until the moment they personally need something from them (on a side note, she doesn’t take enough vacation in my opinion).  Then good old “me first” shows up and bitches at them for going away because “I” need service.  "What do you mean you are going on vacation?  I have something that I have needed done for the past month, and now that you are leaving it has to be done, so you can't go".  The truth of the matter is, for a large portion of our society, people don’t give a sweet ass fuck about other people and their free time, and only actually care about themselves.  It's the McDonald's mentality of I want it now, fast, and cheap and I don't care whom I have to step over to get it.

They don’t give a shit that the small town doctor is almost ready to burn out because he’s on call 27 hours a day, 8 days a week.  “That’s so horrible” they will say and "He needs some time off with his family", yet they will call him at home at 1:00am about that sore throat that has been bothering them all week.  “Oh, its horrible when other people call for ridiculous requests, but it’s absolutely ok when I do it”.

This is a horrible attitude, and anyone who harbours it should be ashamed.  So why did I start this rant with the background about my pharmacy.  Well, you see, when I took over I made it very clear that I was putting my family first.  I do not think it is ok for a pharmacist to work 6 or 7 days a week for 35 or 40 years.  You miss out on too much time with your family, time which you cannot get back.  This was why I chose to close my pharmacy for 10 months of the year on Saturdays so I could spend time with my son and wife.  The sad commentary on life and society is that very few individuals have said they admire me for putting my family before my career, but on an almost daily basis someone with a sense of entitlement and high self worth comes in and shits on me for closing on Saturdays (or better yet, bitches at my employees because they are afraid to get blasted by me).  When asked point blank if they think it is important for me to spend time with my son and wife they will all say “absolutely”… but yet again only if it doesn’t affect them.  You see, me first wins over for way too many of us.  I even had one little old retired lady (note the "retired" meaning I have nothing but time for the entire week) say that if I wasn't prepared to work 7 days a week I shouldn't have become a pharmacist.  Abso-friggun-lootely brilliant.

We should respect the personal lives of others as much as we want our own personal lives respected.  We should not admire the workaholic who sacrifices time with their loved ones so they can put an extra zero by their name at the end of the year.  And finally, we should feel ashamed that some individuals cannot make a decent living working 4o hours per week and must hold down two or more jobs to make ends meet, sacrificing time with their children so they can put food on the table.  Instead we call them horrible parents when realistically we have failed them as a society.

I finish with a quote (one of my own) that I posted on a social network page: If being a workaholic is what defines "good pharmacist" for you, then my goal is to be the shittiest pharmacist you know.

J