--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to work your stinking job and…" description: "\"“If you want to work your stinking job and pay into a pension plan for the rest of your days then fine; if you want to visit the supermarket once a wee..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/rupert-dreyfus-71669_computers_if-you-want-to-work-your-stinking-job-an_1581761.jpg" --- # If you want to work your stinking job and pay into a… ![“If you want to work your stinking job and pay into a pension plan for the rest of your days then fine; if you want to visit the supermarket once a week and feel great about yourself for finding the best offers on low fat microwave meals then fine; if you want to click around them computers all…” quote by Rupert Dreyfus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/rupert-dreyfus-71669_computers_if-you-want-to-work-your-stinking-job-an_1581761.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/rupert-dreyfus-71669_computers_if-you-want-to-work-your-stinking-job-an_1581761.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ed/rupert-dreyfus-71669_computers_if-you-want-to-work-your-stinking-job-an_1581761.jpg) > ““If you want to work your stinking job and pay into a pension plan for the rest of your days then fine; if you want to visit the supermarket once a week and feel great about yourself for finding the best offers on low fat microwave meals then fine; if you want to click around them computers all night, chatting to your Aunt Sally in Honolulu then fine; if you want to drink in moderation so you don’t end up shitting the bed then fine; if you want to continue the cycle of obedient drones then fine; if you want to resent how average your life has turned out in return for a salary that buys you nothing more than permanent misery then fine. All fine and dandy. Go right ahead. Just leave me the fuck out of it.”” Rupert Dreyfus ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He satirically lists acceptable life choices, highlighting how complacency and conformity can trap people in mediocrity. **In simple terms:** Accepting mediocrity limits fulfillment. Key Takeaway Challenge the status quo. Themes conformity mediocrity choice Mood critical provocative Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - career stagnation - everyday routines - self‑reflection Key Concepts social critique personal agency Questions to Reflect On - What choices keep you stuck? - How can you break the cycle? A Different Perspective Satire may oversimplify complex socioeconomic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ## Related quotes > [You need somebody to support the retirees. You need to pay into the pension plans. You need people to work at the hospitals, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-g-buchholz/you-need-somebody-to-support-the-retirees-you-need-to-pay-into-the/) [Todd G. Buchholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-g-buchholz/) > [I, like everybody else, have lost most of my pension plan in this economic crash. So I have to. I'm going to call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-kidder/i-like-everybody-else-have-lost-most-of-my-pension-plan-in-this/) [Margot Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-kidder/) > [Under Reagan came the idea of putting your pension plan in the stock market, which wasn't a guaranteed pension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/under-reagan-came-the-idea-of-putting-your-pension-plan-in-the-stock/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I suppose, as a politician, I should be content, for the Canada Pension Plan certainly put my name in Canada's history books, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-lamarsh/i-suppose-as-a-politician-i-should-be-content-for-the-canada-pension/) [Judy LaMarsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-lamarsh/) > [When I was young, many people worked for a company with a pension plan that covered them for as long as they lived. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/when-i-was-young-many-people-worked-for-a-company-with-a-pension-plan/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [I think I'd make a pretty good president, and they have a great pension plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/i-think-i-d-make-a-pretty-good-president-and-they-have-a-great/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [I wasn't thinking about my pension plan until about two years ago. When I was in my twenties, the idea that you'd be thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gordon/i-wasn-t-thinking-about-my-pension-plan-until-about-two-years-ago/) [Mary Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gordon/) > [You most likely need a thesaurus, a rudimentary grammar book, and a grip on reality. This latter means: there's no free lunch. Writing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/you-most-likely-need-a-thesaurus-a-rudimentary-grammar-book-and-a/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Writing is work. It’s also gambling. You don’t get a pension plan. Other people can help you a bit, but ­essentially you’re on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/writing-is-work-it-s-also-gambling-you-don-t-get-a-pension-plan-other/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [You can't have bank holding companies acting as hedge funds. You can't have them taking a million-dollar pension plan for Joe Schmo the bus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/you-can-t-have-bank-holding-companies-acting-as-hedge-funds-you-can-t/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [The universe is like a pension plan. It will match your investment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camryn-manheim/the-universe-is-like-a-pension-plan-it-will-match-your-investment/) [Camryn Manheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camryn-manheim/) > [Misery's fine - as long as you know you can get out of it when you want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-adamov/misery-s-fine-as-long-as-you-know-you-can-get-out-of-it-when-you-want/) [Arthur Adamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-adamov/) > [Sometimes I get the feeling that some parents really think their son can pay for their pension, especially being in London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-mertesacker/sometimes-i-get-the-feeling-that-some-parents-really-think-their-son/) [Per Mertesacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-mertesacker/) > [I don't want all that much. But I want to be fine. I want to live a simple life with many good moments and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erlend-loe/i-don-t-want-all-that-much-but-i-want-to-be-fine-i-want-to-live-a/) [Erlend Loe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erlend-loe/) > [“Still, I don't like his use of the word fine. I want to be better than fine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/still-i-don-t-like-his-use-of-the-word-fine-i-want-to-be-better-than/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) ## More by Rupert Dreyfus > [“The biggest act of rebellion right now is remaining defiantly hopeful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-dreyfus/the-biggest-act-of-rebellion-right-now-is-remaining-defiantly-hopeful/) Rupert Dreyfus > [“I know I’m not the patron saint of etiquette and me attitude stinks of arse, but at least I don’t dictate to nay cunt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-dreyfus/i-know-i-m-not-the-patron-saint-of-etiquette-and-me-attitude-stinks/) Rupert Dreyfus > [“The world's shit and everyone's a cunt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-dreyfus/the-world-s-shit-and-everyone-s-a-cunt/) Rupert Dreyfus Explore all 4 Rupert Dreyfus quotes ## More Computers quotes > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. 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Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Note found in the patron suggestion box: "You have SIGNS up near the computers that say BE QUIET, but people don't be quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-sheridan/note-found-in-the-patron-suggestion-box-you-have-signs-up-near-the/) [Gina Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-sheridan/) > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying machines speeding across the Atlantic carrying innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern steam ships.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-pickering/the-popular-mind-often-pictures-gigantic-flying-machines-speeding/) William Henry Pickering > [“Alan Turing proposed the Turing Test: a computer is intelligent if you can't tell it from a human when you talk with it. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cjs-hayward/alan-turing-proposed-the-turing-test-a-computer-is-intelligent-if-you/) [CJS Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cjs-hayward/) > [Computers can be taught that certain tune or certain chords changes will sound pleasant together, but I don't think it's going to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/computers-can-be-taught-that-certain-tune-or-certain-chords-changes/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [“According to this model, human beings are, at least in one aspect, sensation-receiving machines; and although our receptory apparatus is competent to select and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cruce-stark/according-to-this-model-human-beings-are-at-least-in-one-aspect/) Cruce Stark > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) [Browse all 9,389 Computers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you want to work your stinking job and pay into a pension plan for the rest of your days then fine; if you want to visit the supermarket once a week and feel great about yourself for finding the best offers on low fat microwave meals then fine; if you want to click around them computers all night, chatting to your Aunt Sally in Honolulu then fine; if you want to drink in moderation so you don’t end up shitting the bed then fine; if you want to continue the cycle of obedient drones then fine; if you want to resent how average your life has turned out in return for a salary that buys you nothing more than permanent misery then fine. 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