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Quote of the Day: It’s All About the Work
“This is a business that’s heavily promulgated by people who have a politically liberal bent. I don’t begrudge them that. I’m a libertarian; frankly, I think my liberalness goes far beyond theirs in a lot of ways. But yeah, we think differently, and maybe that’s cut me out of some things. I don’t care. People know I get along great with all kinds of directors, all kinds of actors. And I tell you, you hire me, I will show up, 24/7, and I will give you 100%. I will help you fix whatever problems come up. You hire me, I’m your boy. It’s just, it’s all about the work. And when that’s done, I am done.”
— Kurt Russell
Ninety-nine percent of America is all about the work. It’s not about, or should not be about, politics.
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That was a lesson I didn’t learn til my late 20’s, but I did finally learn it.
Good for Kurt Russell! He says it like it is, or how it should be. If everyone would just take life seriously, take their work seriously, take their commitments an obligations seriously, the world would be so much richer. Thanks, Arahant.
This is something that the left doesn’t get about business in general. People in those situations don’t care about politics, or skin color, or any of the other things that the left think are so crucial. They care about finding someone… anyone… who can do the work without drama.
Ninety-nine percent? Probably more like sixty percent.
It would have been 99% 50 years ago, but after 50 years of the Great Society? I suspect you’re right.
My human-behavior theory is that people are happiest when they are on a team working toward a common goal.
I formulated this theory when I was newly married and spending holidays with my husband’s family. I noticed that the crew cleaning up the kitchen was always laughing and have a good time together while the people not doing that were not having any fun. Later on when I was a Brownie leader, I noticed both the adults and the kids were always laughing and having the most fun when they were working together–on hikes or getting a campfire going and cooking. And later on, the kids I saw who were part of an orchestra really had fun during rehearsals and concerts.
People need to be productively busy.
Well, it should be 99%. ;)
The entire Agile Software Development movement is founded on this fact.
Had the pleasure of working with a number of small L libertarians on construction projects over the past 30 years. Came to expect that after the contract or handshake or simple meeting of minds, their egos would never be a problem. Russell’s quote captures it perfectly.
And what great work. Deadly Tower, Used Cars, Big Trouble, Elvis, Escape from NY, Tombstone, Hateful 8 and Bone Tomahawk.
I still cannot believe that Bone Tomahawk could be made in the Year of Our Lord 2015. Happy disbelief.
So happy to see this from a guy who is one of my favorites. He’s just always watchable on screen, without necessarily playing himself over and over like some. Tequila Sunrise, which most disliked, is one of my guilty pleasures–and of course, the great Tombstone.
And anyone who can live with Goldie Hawn through the years has to be some kind of mensch.
I had the pleasure of meeting Kurt Russell a few months ago when he was playing a celebrity golf exhibition at the Ryder Cup. A large crowd of people were waiting to talk to celebrities as they walked off the 18th green. Kurt Russell was among the friendliest. He seemed truly grateful that people were there to see him.
I liked watching him in movies when he was a kid.
I still do, although I don’t see that many movies anymore. The last one I saw him in was Sky High, which is a hoot. He gets to totally ham it up.
Which is why I sometimes get irritated by the “follow your passion!” theories of how to be happy at work. Many people aren’t passionate about their work, but if they feel like they are part of a team that’s doing something worthwhile, they can be happy. Happier than wealthy celebrities who followed their passions and then ended up addicted, isolated from society, and lonely.
Another one of my favorites! This should go in the GLoP podcast comments about re-watchable movies.
I re-watched The Barefoot Executive a couple months ago. Still funny 45 years later.
I’ve made the same observation too. :)
Passion is a good thing in work, but it’s not everything. It’s probably second in the line of importance. :)
A friend of mine at my first job in publishing read an article on a long plane trip, and the point of the article got stuck in his head–that under a certain salary, what the article called the “creature comforts” mattered the most in how employees felt about their jobs. Over a certain salary amount, status and pay and benefits mattered most. I’m still in the creature comforts stage of my professional life. I love my work, but it’s the people I work with that matters the most to me.
May I heartily recommend this documentary about Kurt’s father, Bing Russell, and his venture in minor league baseball:
Nice. Never heard that one. Now of we could just get that last 1% to shut up and go back to work.