D is for Depression
Definition: a feeling of having no support, of falling towards an unknown bottom such as when tarpooning destroys your foundation
Pronunciation: \di-’presh-un\
Function: noun
Usage (by the unemployed):
Good: Becoming aware of your nearness to the edge of a depression pit may allow you to change your path and step onto a new foundation before you fall.
sketch by Justin Reggi
Bad: However, when your footing is lost and you start falling, your tendency will probably be to grab onto anything you can and then hold on for dear life. Problem is holding onto something is not the same as lifting yourself up – worse, it may even pull that something down.
Good: Recognizing you are anywhere in that pit, you can either find strength to pull yourself out, or if at the bottom, you can begin to build a new, stronger foundation to hoist yourself upon. Either action gives you a chance for a new beginning.
—– Alternate Unemployment Experience —–
D is also for Discrimination
Definition: (1) an attack worse than tarpooning because it is designed to undermine your foundation; (2) the ability to distinguish between what is good for you and what is bad
Usage (by the unemployed):
Bad: When you are the victim of discrimination, you have a dilemma; you must decide what parts of your foundation to hold onto and which to change; because of the unfairness of the situation, there will be pain associated with both. When you discriminate, you need to know if it is based on an accurate reflection of your needs, or if it is the result of prejudice; this evaluation, done truthfully, can also be painful, because it will reveal imperfections in us all.
—– Creepy Unemployment Experience —–
D is also for Doubt
Definition: a mysterious ailment in which parts of your identity get consumed; experts who investigate this phenomenon believe that it is caused by an extraterrestrial alien creature that enters through your ear when somebody mentions you do not deserve this job, and then embeds itself in your brain; it appears to originate from a nearby Black Hole that many resumes seem to fall into, a place that gobbles up your paper and emails without ever returning any light.
Usage (by the unemployed):
Bad: The loss of some of your self-image can be devastating… I repeat, devastating. It increases the likelihood of depression and slows your progress towards Employment. Try to avoid it.
Good: If you find Doubt growing inside you, take the opportunity to write down all the good things you ever heard about yourself, and review it daily so that you can replenish your self image as quickly as the Black Hole tries to take it away. In this way, you never truly lose yourself… it is down on paper!
—– Call to Artists and Writers —–
Can you contribute an image or a paragraph describing your attempts to avoid or manage depression when you lost your job? Write stories in the comments, submit art to admin@angertozen.com. Include contact information. If this series moves to print publication and we want to include your words and art, we need to be able to contact you for permission.
Overview of Unemployment from Anger to Zen
Tags: depression, discrimination, unemployment dictionary
Unemployment | Stan Kaczmarek | 11 September 2009 |
