The inherent limitation of “var arbetar du?”
The inherent limitation of “var arbetar du?”You're at a party, chatting with a nice stranger. Soon you’ll ask each other about your professional lives. “So, where do you work?" (Swedish: var arbetar du?). That’s polite and nice, yet it won’t lead to much of a conversation if we simply provide the traditional answer, i.e. the name of our employer. My friend’s partner works at [top hospital] in Switzerland. A recent acquaintance works at [audio rentals company]. Based on those employers, people usually assume the two are a doctor and a karaoke kit supplier, respectively. Alas no. The partner is an assistant librarian. The audio gear acquaintance provides A/V riggs for touring mega acts (Black Pink, Coldplay) and festivals (Glastonbury). Where they work is irrelevant. The singular focus on the entity in which people carry out their work is a leftover of a bygone era when where we worked was often tied to the company’s core activity. And people usually only worked with one thing. If in 1920s London you worked at Trebor, you likely boiled mints and candies at the sweet factory in Forest Gate. Mitsubishi Goshi Kaisha in Osaka, early 1900s? Ship builder. Stockholm late 1800s, Barnängens Tekniska Fabrik? Soap maker. Wouldn’t it be fun if we asked new acquaintances what they do, and crucially, in what contexts? Yes contexts; plural. (And yes, I’m an Turns out the assistant librarian in Switzerland also runs a small techno label. Plus they have a thriving bee farm and deliver honey to Zürich’s top eateries. These roles even cross-pollinate (dad-joke pun intended), the hospital does research on natural remedies with help of said bees. Three roles, three contexts, a wildly fascinating conversation! “I usually tell people I make a living from expressing all aspects of myself. My favorite music on my own label, caring for the planet with the bees and being obsessive about organisation at the hospital.” The more we explore how other people view their quilt of roles and activities, the faster and more we learn about them. And the faster we can have a terrific conversation right there at the party, get excited, learn something new, develop a crush, get ‘em a drink, or just move on. How would you respond if I asked you what you do and in what contexts (plural!)? Hit reply, I’d love to know. Link ⫘ Saw Starter Car play in Dalston (London) last night. Pure 🤩
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