NationStates Jolt Archive

'My life cleaning Delhi's sewers'
India may be spending billions on its high tech space programme but its spending on sewers is decidedly low tech and deadly, reports the BBC's Rupa Jha.
I will never forget the sight of that thin short man, wearing nothing but cotton underpants, strapped into a harness arrangement, disappearing down into a dark manhole beneath the streets of my home city.
The diameter of the hole was so small that he bruised himself while slipping down.
Inside was a dark well, full of sewage, with giant cockroaches sticking to the wall.
Before he climbed in I asked him his name. I was really surprised when he answered flamboyantly, "Rewa Ram - Son of Khanjan."
I thought: "He must be educated, seems to speak some English." But when I asked him, he said: "No. I'm a complete illiterate."
When I looked down that hole into the drains of Delhi, the smell was overwhelming. Down below, he was coughing, trying hard to keep breathing.
He was struggling to clear a blockage with his bare hands.

Dizzying smell
All of a sudden, a pipe protruding into the drain above his head started spewing out water and human faeces that poured over his body.
I began to feel dizzy just looking down into this mess.
My nostrils were filled with that obnoxious smell, a bit like of rotten eggs. I wanted to vomit. I felt weak and wanted to run away from the smell.

'My life cleaning Delhi's sewers' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7872770.stm)

May as well say it: What a shit job.

Speaking of which, what's the worst job you've ever had to do?

Me: I've been pretty lucky. Never had to do anything too disgusting.
Most boring job I s'pose would be the week I worked at a printing firm during uni hols. Their collating machine had broken down, so my job for those 6 days was to walk clockwise around a long table picking up the pages of some company report then sticking them into a binding machine. 8 bloody hours a day for 6 days of traipsing round a table picking up paper. Didn't even have a walkman to keep me sane.

An Inner City High School Teacher. No one in that class wanted to learn anything about Reconstruction.

A shit job. Heh. I get it.

world's worst job? being unemployed.

world's worst job? being unemployed.
you seriously think unemployed is worse than crawling into a darken sewer dressed only in cotton undies and using your hands to unblock shit, only to have it pour all over you?
really?

me - I'd go for unemployed over sewer-rat.

you seriously think unemployed is worse than crawling into a darken sewer dressed only in cotton undies and using your hands to unblock shit, only to have it pour all over you?
really?

me - I'd go for unemployed over sewer-rat.

I'd rather be a sewer-rat than to try to teach Inner-City kids again.

you seriously think unemployed is worse than crawling into a darken sewer dressed only in cotton undies and using your hands to unblock shit, only to have it pour all over you?
really?

me - I'd go for unemployed over sewer-rat.

one you get paid. the other you don't.

But the amount that guy gets paid is probably like $1 a day. I tell you, the streets of Delhi are far from the cleanest I have seen so the sewers must be incredibly bad.

The worst job must be the guy in the internet police whose job it is to get rid of all the porn.

one you get paid. the other you don't.

Except, that's not really the case is it? I assume that the USA sees fit to provide unemployment benefits?

Worst job I've ever had in terms of grossness - Cleaning poopy baby diapers, cleaning up the aftermath of projectile vomitting, changing piss-wet sheets - yep, I was a mom.

Best job I've ever had - gettting a dirty, tatterered, hand-made valentine from a dirty-faced, grubby-handed little monster. Mom, again.

I think McDonalds was the worst as far as disgusting is concerned....

Lotta Rotten Meat, left in the same places where food was being made....I cant eat there anymore, after that experience...Ignorance is Bliss...

And then there was the multiple times I was forced to jump in the Dumpster with the aforementioned Rotting Meat and other unmentionable substances cause the Compactor was constantly breaking, and I was the lowest on the totem pole...

Worst job I've ever had in terms of grossness - Cleaning poopy baby diapers, cleaning up the aftermath of projectile vomitting, changing piss-wet sheets - yep, I was a mom.

Best job I've ever had - gettting a dirty, tatterered, hand-made valentine from a dirty-faced, grubby-handed little monster. Mom, again.

I'd probably be the worse Dad ever, I can not fake sincerity. While most parents would go "Aww thanks, thank you!" I'd go "Aww...this....is....nice...yea..."

Would being the security detail for the shrub count?

I'd probably be the worse Dad ever, I can not fake sincerity. While most parents would go "Aww thanks, thank you!" I'd go "Aww...this....is....nice...yea..."

Strangely, when the kid is yours, your attitudes change.

(Usually, I would be unrealistic if I said that every parent became loving and tolerant just because the kid is theirs)

Strangely, when the kid is yours, your attitudes change.

(Usually, I would be unrealistic if I said that every parent became loving and tolerant just because the kid is theirs)

I am Misanthropic, so I just don't think I have the personality for a parents. My child would grow up to be as screwed up and Misanthropic as I am. Either that or commit suicide.

I am Misanthropic, so I just don't think I have the personality for a parents. My child would grow up to be as screwed up and Misanthropic as I am. Either that or commit suicide.

I actually think I have a good personality for kids...Im usually good with them...


Now I just have to work on getting the Physique prepared for Reproduction, lol...

I believe that a job being good or bad shouldn't be defined by the unpleasant things that define it, but the probability of them getting out of control. That employee unclogging shit in the Delhi sewers is prepared to do just that, plus he is free to choose unemployment as soon as he considers poverty a better option.

A law enforcement official that's forced to do what he thinks is wrong by corrupt superiors or a prostitute who wants to get out of her situation but is kept there by external factors (e.g. her employers) are people who have a really shitty job in my opinion.

I think the worst thing I've ever had to do was help castrate a bull......didn't get paid for it though, it was part of growing up on the farm.

My kid's diapers/vomit doesn't gross me out, but everyone else's does, so changing diapers of babies who aren't my kids.......pretty gross.

Most of my paid jobs have been in offices or in food service so no real danger there.

Hmm, worst time I ever had at work, let me put it that way:

Some guy was both high and drunk off his ass, threw up in the back of the cruiser. I mean, threw up enough that I thought he might implode or something from the pressure release. Seriously, he could have fed a small army of rats. A five gallon bucket would have been insufficient. I didn't know a person could hold that much in their stomach. It was dripping out when we stopped. The car had to be professionally cleaned to get the smell out. It was really bad.

The worst job I've ever had is my latest job. Telemarketing. I've only been there a week and I already want to run screaming from the place.

Can't say I've had a "shitty" job. One of the worst has to be a medieval king's personal ass-wiper. Yes, that was an actual job and was reserved for nobility.

I believe that a job being good or bad shouldn't be defined by the unpleasant things that define it, but the probability of them getting out of control. That employee unclogging shit in the Delhi sewers is prepared to do just that, plus he is free to choose unemployment as soon as he considers poverty a better option.

A law enforcement official that's forced to do what he thinks is wrong by corrupt superiors or a prostitute who wants to get out of her situation but is kept there by external factors (e.g. her employers) are people who have a really shitty job in my opinion.

A police officer, even when he's not working for corrupt people, can still have pretty bad experiences. My son told me about the time, when he was a rookie, that they went on a "drt" call (drt = dead right there). The person, an elderly woman, had been dead for several days in the middle of winter, but the heat in her apartment was cranked up to 90^F. It was pretty nauseating.

I worked as a carny for 9 months. Worst job I ever had...

A police officer, even when he's not working for corrupt people, can still have pretty bad experiences. My son told me about the time, when he was a rookie, that they went on a "drt" call (drt = dead right there). The person, an elderly woman, had been dead for several days in the middle of winter, but the heat in her apartment was cranked up to 90^F. It was pretty nauseating.
being a police diver would be a most unpleasant job. You're never saving anyone, just recovering bodies - and some bodies may have been down there for days or even weeks. Can only imagine the state those would be in.
I guess you could rationalise it by telling yourself you're helping the corpse's family get closure or helping forensics catch the murderer (if there is one) but at the end of the day all you're doing is swimming through murk waiting for a bloated rotten face with chewed out eye sockets to pop up at you.

I believe that a job being good or bad shouldn't be defined by the unpleasant things that define it, but the probability of them getting out of control. That employee unclogging shit in the Delhi sewers is prepared to do just that, plus he is free to choose unemployment as soon as he considers poverty a better option.
you didn't read the article, did you?
He's not 'choosing' to do that job. He's untouchable and as such would not be employed anywhere else. This is the only job available for him.
choosing unemployment is not an option as in India this means starving to death.

So that's his options: unclogging shit or starving to death.

Fish counter.

Mostly retirees, fish counters sit for 8-hour shifts, April to October, watching our gilled brethren swim up fish ladders built on large dams in the Pacific Northwest. When a counter spies a fish, she pushes a button to record its passage. Click. When she sees two fish, she pushes the button twice. Click. Click. Here's the racy part: There are different buttons for different species of fish! Fish counts determine fishing limits, and this management system may have contributed to record salmon returns the past couple of years-which, in turn, is good news for the fish counters, who can punch 300 buttons an hour these days. "It is more exciting on a good day," allows fish counter Marty Schluterbush.

http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2003-09/worst-jobs-science-2003

you didn't read the article, did you?
He's not 'choosing' to do that job. He's untouchable and as such would not be employed anywhere else. This is the only job available for him.
choosing unemployment is not an option as in India this means starving to death.

So that's his options: unclogging shit or starving to death.

That is such a pessimistic way of looking at it. C'mon, he is an untouchable. This is what he was born to do. This and cremating corpses I guess. He is probably living high on the hog (compared to other untouchables). I bet he is making more bank than the cremation guys or the trash men. Maybe in the next life he can be born into a better caste.

Fish counter.



http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2003-09/worst-jobs-science-2003

That job sounds kinda fun.

I actually think I have a good personality for kids...Im usually good with them...


Now I just have to work on getting the Physique prepared for Reproduction, lol...

I read that completely wrong the first time.

Sanitation at a turkey plant. There's some fun jobs there. Cleaning the kill line is a classic. Blood up to your knees. Then there's the live hang dock where they unload the birds, all of which shit everywhere. Apparently turkeys have the ability to projectile poo because there was literally turkey shit everywhere. Then there are the two "pits" which are pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. Dank holes full of what could if you were sufficiently liberal with your interpretation be called water. The pits were interesting because you had to go into them to clean them, with various and interesting things dripping/spraying/seeping all over you.

The live hang dock had another interesting feature, a 20,000 gallon blood tank up on the ceiling, it leaked, constantly. On occasion it would overflow and rocket a layer of congealed blood all over the dock and anyone unfortunate enough to be working there. Two to three inches of jello like blood all over fucking EVERYTHING. Of course the pit had a kidney tank, which while less horrifying smelled far worse.

I am Misanthropic, so I just don't think I have the personality for a parents. My child would grow up to be as screwed up and Misanthropic as I am. Either that or commit suicide.
I'm misanthropic, but I like kids and my own family, so I'm pretty sure that I'd get on fine with my hypothetical offspring.

The worst job, however, is the job of looking for RhynoD's balls. A few days ago, I texted him to try and get pictures of his remaining genitalia, in case I could tell something about what might have happened based upon the scene of the crime. Instead, he kept sending me pictures of other people's penises, and even demanded to see mine.
I'm not even sure why I'm the one who has to go looking for them, he's the one that got high and misplaced them.

Except, that's not really the case is it? I assume that the USA sees fit to provide unemployment benefits?

I've been Unemployed. drawing on Unemployment and welfare is fine and dandy. but not really that long and not really motivating to getting a job. but having to go down into the sewers to clean muck with your hands? I can't think of anything that would motivate me more to get a better job!

A mate of mine's dad is Norwegian, a retired oil tanker captain. He told me that when he first joined the crew of an oil tanker, as he was the youngest and smallest, his main job was to crawl through the pipes between the oil tanks checking them and unclogging if neccessary. Cause they were for oil, he wasn't allowed even a torch for fear that even that might ignite the fumes.
Not the most pleasant of jobs I'm sure.

you didn't read the article, did you?
He's not 'choosing' to do that job. He's untouchable and as such would not be employed anywhere else. This is the only job available for him.
choosing unemployment is not an option as in India this means starving to death.

So that's his options: unclogging shit or starving to death.
Go re-read my post.
His job isn't that shitty, because there IS an option of unemployment, which may or may not result in him starving to death. But there are other situations, where there is NO exit, or if there is, it's more than just YOUR life at stake. It may be your life and your family's for example.

Sanitation at a turkey plant. There's some fun jobs there. Cleaning the kill line is a classic. Blood up to your knees. Then there's the live hang dock where they unload the birds, all of which shit everywhere. Apparently turkeys have the ability to projectile poo because there was literally turkey shit everywhere. Then there are the two "pits" which are pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. Dank holes full of what could if you were sufficiently liberal with your interpretation be called water. The pits were interesting because you had to go into them to clean them, with various and interesting things dripping/spraying/seeping all over you.

The live hang dock had another interesting feature, a 20,000 gallon blood tank up on the ceiling, it leaked, constantly. On occasion it would overflow and rocket a layer of congealed blood all over the dock and anyone unfortunate enough to be working there. Two to three inches of jello like blood all over fucking EVERYTHING. Of course the pit had a kidney tank, which while less horrifying smelled far worse.

Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm misanthropic, but I like kids and my own family, so I'm pretty sure that I'd get on fine with my hypothetical offspring.

The worst job, however, is the job of looking for RhynoD's balls. A few days ago, I texted him to try and get pictures of his remaining genitalia, in case I could tell something about what might have happened based upon the scene of the crime. Instead, he kept sending me pictures of other people's penises, and even demanded to see mine.
I'm not even sure why I'm the one who has to go looking for them, he's the one that got high and misplaced them.

I lol'd.

Go re-read my post.
His job isn't that shitty, because there IS an option of unemployment, which may or may not result in him starving to death. But there are other situations, where there is NO exit, or if there is, it's more than just YOUR life at stake. It may be your life and your family's for example.
riiiightt. So you view him (and his family) starving to death a valid 'option' which means getting covered in raw sewarage every day can't be that 'shitty' a job.
yeah that makes perfect sense.
I mean it's not like HIS life is at stake or anything is it? Not like there's no exit for him, is there? Like you say he could just quit. and then he can decide starve to death, along with his family. No 'life at stake' issue there. nosireee.

Go re-read my post.
His job isn't that shitty, because there IS an option of unemployment

His job is shitty in every possible interpretation of the word.

which may or may not result in him starving to death. But there are other situations, where there is NO exit, or if there is, it's more than just YOUR life at stake. It may be your life and your family's for example.

Aaaaand... there are situations where your job consists of wading naked through sewage. Those situations are shitty. The fact that you can hypothetically imagine some situation which is more dire doesn't change this fact. Otherwise what, getting raped 10 times isn't bad.. because its possible to get raped 100 times?

Otherwise what, getting raped 10 times isn't bad.. because its possible to get raped 100 times?
It is reasoning like that which has helped keep me on the streets.
"Sure, your honor, I done what I did, but I mighta done worse, hadn't I? And if I'm never given the chance to prove that, how can you rest at night with the uncertainty?"

riiiightt. So you view him (and his family) starving to death a valid 'option' which means getting covered in raw sewarage every day can't be that 'shitty' a job.
You're portraying this as if I said his job was great. No. I said there are other factors you didn't consider that can make other people's situations more shitty.

I mean it's not like HIS life is at stake or anything is it?
Not like there's no exit for him, is there? Like you say he could just quit. and then he can decide starve to death, along with his family. No 'life at stake' issue there. nosireee.
I don't see how his job would put his life in direct danger. Sure, there are your run-of-the-mill hazards, which might make it a wee bit dangerous since India's not that strict with workplace safety regulations, but that's it. Nobody feeding him drugs to make him psychosomatically dependant on his lifestyle, nobody pointing guns at him or his family, nobody forcing him to actually hurt other people. You're completely disregarding these arguments again.

I'm misanthropic, but I like kids and my own family, so I'm pretty sure that I'd get on fine with my hypothetical offspring.

The worst job, however, is the job of looking for RhynoD's balls. A few days ago, I texted him to try and get pictures of his remaining genitalia, in case I could tell something about what might have happened based upon the scene of the crime. Instead, he kept sending me pictures of other people's penises, and even demanded to see mine.
I'm not even sure why I'm the one who has to go looking for them, he's the one that got high and misplaced them.

Who told you I was a he?
Finding my balls would certainly be more difficult if I didn't have any.

His job is shitty in every possible interpretation of the word.
Re-read my post. It's shitty, but not THAT shitty. He's in a bad position, but there are worse.

Aaaaand... there are situations where your job consists of wading naked through sewage. Those situations are shitty. The fact that you can hypothetically imagine some situation which is more dire doesn't change this fact. Otherwise what, getting raped 10 times isn't bad.. because its possible to get raped 100 times?
The topic is about the worst job, not pretty bad jobs. My contribution was trying to open your eyes towards other aspects of a bad job, as you all seem pathologically fixed on odor or grossness in general. There are jobs where you're forced to do harm to others, there are jobs where you don't see it coming and it makes you a slave for life. The dependancy on money is quite bad, but not as bad, as the dependancy on drugs, especially ones you were forced to take.

I'm astonished that instead of trying to consider further definitions of "bad", you sarcastically try to dismiss valid points, pretend that "there's worse" means "it's actually good". Let me tell you something: just because there are things you haven't considered before (contrary to some beliefs, nobody's all-knowing, not even those that pretend to be), it doesn't mean that you're an idiot for not considering them. You're an idiot because you try to make everything new to you seem wrong to uphold a self-constructed image of omniscience, because of what? If what I say is wrong, you already knew all that's right from the beginning?

My job. Anyone wants it?

'My life cleaning Delhi's sewers' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7872770.stm)

May as well say it: What a shit job.

Speaking of which, what's the worst job you've ever had to do?


During civilian service, I had to work in the municipal garbage dump, and to clean the streets. With a broom.

Shit job. And paid about 2,50 €/day.

My job. Anyone wants it?

Somehow, being the focus of NSG's fantasies doesn't sound that hard. but I SERIOUSLY doubt anyone would want me replacing you in that posistion... :D

Somehow, being the focus of NSG's fantasies doesn't sound that hard. but I SERIOUSLY doubt anyone would want me replacing you in that posistion... :D

I meant my actual job, JuNii dear, not what NSG has made of me. Of course, I have quitted my NSG job, want it?:wink:

Somehow, being the focus of NSG's fantasies doesn't sound that hard. but I SERIOUSLY doubt anyone would want me replacing you in that posistion... :D

I meant my actual job, JuNii dear, not what NSG has made of me. Of course, I have quitted my NSG job, want it?:wink:

See bolded. :p

what is your actual job? generally speaking that is.

See bolded. :p

what is your actual job? generally speaking that is.

I'm a curator and translator in the Spanish government.

The topic is about the worst job, not pretty bad jobs. My contribution was trying to open your eyes towards other aspects of a bad job, as you all seem pathologically fixed on odor or grossness in general. There are jobs where you're forced to do harm to others, there are jobs where you don't see it coming and it makes you a slave for life. The dependancy on money is quite bad, but not as bad, as the dependancy on drugs, especially ones you were forced to take.

Instead of providing examples of actual jobs, you instead made vague allusions. Not very persuasive. And your argument about 'choice' means that hey, he COULD choose to be unemployed. Nonsensical.

Slavery is not a 'job.' Drug dependence is not a job. Come up with some real contribution instead of pulling bullshit out of your ass.

I'm astonished that instead of trying to consider further definitions of "bad", you sarcastically try to dismiss valid points, pretend that "there's worse" means "it's actually good". Let me tell you something: just because there are things you haven't considered before (contrary to some beliefs, nobody's all-knowing, not even those that pretend to be), it doesn't mean that you're an idiot for not considering them. You're an idiot because you try to make everything new to you seem wrong to uphold a self-constructed image of omniscience, because of what? If what I say is wrong, you already knew all that's right from the beginning?

"You're an idiot." That's the sort of valid point I 'dismissed.' Followed by some ridiculous rant about "self-constructed image of omniscience." Yeah thanks for the dime-store pop psychological analysis/insult, it's exceptionally persuasive.

I'm a curator and translator in the Spanish government.

Kewl!

I meant my actual job, JuNii dear, not what NSG has made of me. Of course, I have quitted my NSG job, want it?:wink:

You are the biggest flirt on NSG.

You are the biggest flirt on NSG.

Correction: Was the biggest flirt on NSG.

I saw a cable tv show a few years ago profiling the world's worst jobs.

2 of the top ones were in India.

One was a guy that got paid for each bloated human corpse he retrieved from the ganghes river.
As he was interviewed, he was drinking from a liquor bottle and said he needed to dull his senses.

Another was a guy that got a bounty for each rat he killed. In broad daylight, he killed rats in the streets by hitting them with a bamboo rod,then picking them up with his toes to dump into a pillow case.
I guess he didnt like to bend over.

Nice place.

Correction: Was the biggest flirt on NSG.

What happened? Has someone stepped up their flirting efforts to outflirt the ever so flirtatious NnT? Or are you a flirt has been. Are you yesterday's flirtation news?

What happened? Has someone stepped up their flirting efforts to outflirt the ever so flirtatious NnT? Or are you a flirt has been. Are you yesterday's flirtation news?

The biggest flirt can also tire of the flirting. It grows old. There are many reasons why, reasons I don't care to discuss.

There are many reasons why, reasons I don't care to discuss.
good enough for me.

damn, just when I was getting used to those early morning cold showers! :p

Instead of providing examples of actual jobs, you instead made vague allusions. Not very persuasive. And your argument about 'choice' means that hey, he COULD choose to be unemployed. Nonsensical.
Way to go continuing to display ignorance, and even improving it. Just re-read my first post (containing actual examples):
A law enforcement official that's forced to do what he thinks is wrong by corrupt superiors or a prostitute who wants to get out of her situation but is kept there by external factors (e.g. her employers) are people who have a really shitty job in my opinion.

Slavery is not a 'job.' Drug dependence is not a job.
Slavery? The factor of dependence I mentioned is characteristical for prostitution as a field of work. Not all of them are bound to their work against their will by third parties, but a considerable percentage of them are, most of which (if not all) are exclusive to prostitution (pimps for example). Thus, prostitution is one example I mentioned (and you ignored).

Come up with some real contribution instead of pulling bullshit out of your ass.
So you're saying that the job-specific and rather unique risks of a prostitute or a police officer are "bullshit"? You're not only ignoring my posts now, but also reality? Are you truly that oblivious to the increasing amount of idiocy you associate with your image with every post?

"You're an idiot." That's the sort of valid point I 'dismissed.'
...along with job hazards I presented. I see, "dismissed" is the wrong word. You simply ignore them.

Followed by some ridiculous rant about "self-constructed image of omniscience." Yeah thanks for the dime-store pop psychological analysis/insult, it's exceptionally persuasive.
Why, if you'd stop being ignorant, you'd automatically prove me wrong. Instead you prove me right with your own posts. It's not me you should be mad at for pointing out an inconvenient truth.

good enough for me.

damn, just when I was getting used to those early morning cold showers! :p

I don't mind goofing off with you, JuNii.:wink:
But my flirting NSG days are over.

Way to go continuing to display ignorance, and even improving it. Just re-read my first post (containing actual examples)
Except they're not actual examples now, are they?
It's a possibility you've contrived and is based on nothing more than your assumption that said contrived examples must be worse for the peoples involved than the actual, real-life, OP job.
You haven't actually given any evidence as to why your examples are worse, it's solely based on you simply declaring that they must be. And then you use this declaration as 'proof'. circular reason much?


Also, fyi, a person held against their will and forced into prostitution can't be considered a job, per se. It's abduction, rape, and virtual slavery, regardless of whether they receive any money. All of which makes it despicable but does not make it a job. A not-so-subtle difference, that you could see if you weren't so busy contriving examples and insulting other posters.

One was a guy that got paid for each bloated human corpse he retrieved from the ganghes river.
Much like police divers mentioned above.


Another was a guy that got a bounty for each rat he killed. In broad daylight, he killed rats in the streets by hitting them with a bamboo rod,then picking them up with his toes to dump into a pillow case.
I guess he didnt like to bend over.
But what's wrong with this one? It's called varminting - just Indian style.