@brendan: Not true at all. I quit and found a better job, one that I wanted because I got sick of the situation (did you read my post?). I'm not suffering from a failure of imagination, I think I have a pretty realistic expectation regarding the current status of the job market. It's fun to imagine a world where everyone loves their job and no one rips anyone off but if you think that's feasible in a society based on capitalism then you're just fucking yourself. Hand me a survey that says people should be happier and that working overtime as a salaried worker sucks and I'll sign it, ask me to vote and I'll vote in agreement but I'm not going to pretend that it's going to change any time soon or that, at this point in the human experience, this utopian work environment is even possible.
Turns out capitalism is just as corruptible as communism except you have a choice in the former. You're calling me a slave and saying I lack imagination; how does that help your rhetoric other than making a person who had a shitty work experience feel bad? I'm sorry I'm so dumb for working to pay the rent but I did so for primarily that reason as well as having pride in what I did. Like I said before, when I no longer felt good about it, I left and found a better job and now I feel great. It's that choice.
I never defended the workload, I said it wasn't for everyone and is pretty much unavoidable if you live and work in the current world. You can choose to cop it and do the work or quit. No one is forcing you. Thanks, though, you seem like an asshole.
@schindigg: Yep, 100%. I don't now but I previously ran restaurants for a living which resulted in basically the same work conditions; 60-80 hour work weeks, I'd have to fight for consecutive days off and if I wanted to use any of my accrued holiday time, I'd have to let everyone know months out (and even then, I had no guarantee). Combine the above with the fact that hospitality is low paying (I was earning about $10-$20,000 less than the average income per capita [Australia], and that's salaried, so no over time ever - and bonuses were measly [~$1-$2,000]), the jobs are easily replaceable and the peak period is over every holiday and every weekend (meaning you have to work when your friends and family aren't) and it makes for an awful career financially and personally. I still have occasional nightmares about the head office visits which would have me basically sleeping in my office between 16 hour days of excessive, perfectionist cleaning. Where are the articles about the hospitality working conditions?
I worked that job because I was building something and felt pride in my work despite the fact that it sucked while doing it. It ruined a whole lot outside of my work; I didn't see friends, I barely saw my partner, I didn't try to do anything - life became work. The thing is, when I didn't feel pride in my work anymore and I knew I was done, I quit. Everyone has that option. I quit and I found a better job that fits better for me and now I love my job. It may be hard to secure a career and the job market may be a difficult, precarious space - I know, I've been through it - but there is always something, always. You can always get an interim job until something you want comes up. It's just a case of waiting and hunting. That was how I ended up doing the hospitality thing in the first place and after hard work and a bit of extra study, I now have what will ostensibly be my lifelong role and I'm happy with it (currently).
Work is work, at some point you're going to have to do things you really don't want to do as part of your job. You're going to have to miss out on family events or work when you're long past exhausted to hit a deadline. It sucks but that's work. You're there because you need money, not because you like it - and you may like it, in which case, that's awesome but not everyone gets to hit this perfect balance. If you read the Kotaku article, the constant refrain seems to be that the staff love the work they've done, begrudgingly agree to the hours as necessary to facilitate that work and hate the fact that management refuses to acknowledge the hours worked. It reads as not even a pay thing, they just want to be recognised for the time put in, which is fair. In fact, it seems like the anonymous employees who offered their perspectives for Jason Schreier's piece are more clued in than he is in that they knew they were going to have to work more to produce the technological marvel that is the product and agree that the time input sucks but did it anyway to be a part of the project.
I guess what I'm saying is that the vast majority of people who work these kinds of hours do so knowingly and do it for their own reasons. This occurs in every job market. It happens. Some people can't handle the workload or how much it taxes their personal lives, which is fine, but it's up to those people to recognise this and consider other options. You never have to work somewhere you don't want to work and if you think you're being taken advantage of, you shouldn't be there. Quit.
This review really didn't need the added commentary, just review the game. If you're reading this, Alex, I love you, always have and nothing will change that. I just wanted to know if the game was good.
Guys, this sucks. As someone who has followed the site since its inception, who has been a member since memberships were available, I'm going to say that this is the first time I've been unimpressed with your content. I'm yet to watch the discussion video (which, I guess, is the point) but why put up a barely three paragraph review? It just comes across as lazy. I, personally, want to see the written reviews because I trust the Giantbomb staff's opinion over any other entity on the internet (and I always have) but if you're going to go with the video, just do the video. This is so underwhelming.
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