After running the gamut of Information Technology for quite some time, I acknowledge, I am able to draw conclusions about the area.
Currently involved with Humanities, the contrast between it and my former area of involvement is clearly evident. People are different, they think alike, they pursue different goals, behave uniquely, and each part faces the world in an one and only way.
Few are the ones working with IT that put hearts in it. Do they mind? The vast majority just concerns the money they are paid. Alike it, the peoples of Humanities do mind about personal satisfaction and helping out the fellow men.
Naturally, I am talking about the majority, not the isolated cases. Based upon this, I have observed the following thus far:
- A few IT students enter for such superior courses claiming liking to be the motive
- An amount of students guided by their liking change their minds later, ultimately even getting literally fed up with the area
- A fair number enroll considering the amount of openings in the market and the dreamed high salaries
- Technicians at technical support companies usually swear at customers (talking behind their backs, with the phone on mute), helping them out just because it is an obligation and they want money at the end of the month
- They are not very often concerned about customer’s reactions, emotions, etc.
- I have once worked with a Microsoft engineer over the phone, he was in the US and we were working remotely, assisting a customer. He emphatically told me “It does not matter what the customer says or feels, let’s focus exclusively on the problem.”
- There are lots of idiots and silly boys who boast themselves for the knowledge they have
- The number of men in the area is far much higher than women
- Working hours may be extended to huge amounts sometimes, or almost every day
- Trading pleasure for money becomes natural for a number of professionals
- When attending technical courses, sometimes aimed at certificates examinations preparation, it is second nature to see supposed comrades exclusively minding their own business, treating you as an opponent, not sharing knowledge in class, despite the fact that in most cases friendship is never fostered. After the class is finished, they take their ways home and that’s all. What it is common to verify is people creating networks of contacts, asking classmates contact information just in case they need a job later
- Etc.
At least, they help one another at the advent of jog hunting, possibly indicating you to a company which is hiring new professionals
Now talking about the other side of the equation, even though I have not gone through the same number of years in the area, I think I can cite my current perception:
- In the classroom, you rapidly see how people are united. It does seem you are in a classroom at a school, not in a training center room
- The atmosphere in the classroom is warm, there is no sense of competition relatively speaking
- Typical of Humanities, there are lots of different results for a question, that is, different answers to the same question, as opposed to IT where there has to be one root cause only (we enforce that to be)
- Learning and teaching is often well balanced, sharing of knowledge is much more common
- The number of women is far higher
- It is more usual to see professionals putting their hearts in what they do
- The focus is not a technical aspect, rather, human shortcomings, mankind abilities improvement, courage boost, etc.
- When teaching is involved, it is not rare to see professionals enjoying what they do, not giving too much emphasis on money
- The number of openings in the market is not as high, as well as the number of applicants too, to keep the balance
- There are more comrades and less opponents
- Etc.
In which of those areas do I make myself at home? Today, I do think Humanities!
Back at age 22, when I first had contact with Buddhism, I realized I had interest in something different. At that time, I was studying Physics, Mathematics, etc., I had been considering being a Scientist, attending Physics at University, till the moment I came to know Buddhism and I first noticed something I had been terribly failing to manage.
Even though I was more and more aware of the nature laws, understanding how it works and why things are the way we see, such comprehension would never be a solution to a more immediate problem I had, always bringing on disgust and apprehension inside. I then inquired myself: “What is it in it? What is the point in being able to thoroughly comprehend nature if I am a complete ignorant about myself, my own being?”
Out of the blue, Physics turned into something obscure that would not lead me to where I needed to reach whatsoever. Giving that breakthrough, I promptly changed to study IT since I had been working with it for some time.
At snail speed, though, I gradually was getting the grasp of my interest in personal matters rather than technical ones. I concluded that IT knowledge could give me money only, recycling knowledge constantly to keep up with the market speed, that is, frequently learning new things whose utilization is already fated to be forgotten some time later. On the other hand, Humanities:
- Teach you something for life
- Unite people (relatively speaking)
Apart from the monthly salary, there are extra gains:
- New life experiences
- Acquisition of new points of view about the world and mankind
- New realizations of truths
- Satisfaction for truly helping your fellow men
- Encouragement to the ones in need
- An unlimited number of answers to choose from
- Etc.
When it comes to Literature, there is no limit to hinder you, everything is possible. Messages can be conveyed whether directly or indirectly, there are lots of ways to express yourself, a need of mine and, according to my view, a need of lots of people who are unable to do it, miss such an ability, and may end up feeling a great pleasure for succeeding in it.
I just particularly disagree with some guys’ attitude that completely forget about reasoning. They go into the Literature world aimed at dreams rather than reality. I know that Literature discusses the existence of reality, raising questions upon its real existence as we conceive it, what is particularly great to widen our perception. However, some people appear to consider their uniqueness of feelings as absolute, living locked in their own world and rejecting the existence of the world outside. I meant uniqueness of feelings because I do not see much reasoning in certain attitudes.
Literature is seen as a means to humanize the world, the nature, the inanimate things, as I have captured from my classes. Nevertheless, reasoning and feelings must walk side-by side, hand-in-hand. In my viewpoint, sticking exclusively to one of them leads us to incomplete and inaccurate views of life.
In Buddhism I have learned to question reality and the general accepted truth, what has some commonalities with Literature. However, reasoning is kept. There is an attempt to ultimately get rid of reasoning, to surpass and go beyond mind limitations, what sounds perfectly fine to me. As we can see, emotions never take control. Emotions have no direction, it is like a shot that you never know the target and the consequences, discipline is dismantled and you just try to be unreasonably and misguidedly happy, immersed in carefreeness. That is definitely not the path I assume for me.
In the end, I think I have gone through different experiences that culminate in a somewhat open mind to the new, recognition that truth is completely relative and thus subjected to discussion. In Humanities I am closer to analyze life and my own being than working with IT. Additionally, I feel as though I am really able to help out people with their needs, one of the things that make sense to me in this world. Regarding that one source of pleasure of mine is self-assimilation, I reckon now I am able to blend pleasure and necessity, learning and money. I am going to continue to be analytical, diligent, fond of argumentation and seeking thorough understanding.
As time goes by, fortunately, I fills the gap within; it is an everlasting process and come what may I shall carry on with zeal toward the now intangible, in search of the unknown, the hidden, the actual obscure, current nebulous, as long as light is seen at the end of the tunnel of life, the sign of enlightenment that shines brightly through the dark world and penetrates this very being. This little but potential sign calls me on to join eventually, to join in union with the nature, the universe, dissolving the barrier between the inner and the outer light, mixing up and becoming one single beam, realizing reality as Buddha has done.
I think I have come a little closer :]
