Interesting thread.
You know, before going into what I do now I was in commercial aviation for over fifteen years. Now I'm an IFA (Independent Financial Adviser). During the course of my work I speak to a very wide variety of individuals on a quite intimate basis. And the one thing that comes out, on every occasion, is that no-one I talk to 'feels appreciated'. Every occupation...you name it. Surgeons, Teachers, Pilots, Businessmen........... they all say the same thing "of course the problem with this job is that we're just not appreciated". In fact I haven't found one single occupation that actually feels appreciated.
It stikes me that that is the reason that Adolf Hitler did so well (for a few years at least). He made everyone if Germany feel appreciated. Good God, if you were a woman who had had more than two kids you would get a certifcate with an eagle on it saying that you were a 'mother of the Fatherland' or whatever.
The labourers who built the roads regaularly took part in parades, with silver shovels over their shoulders, martching to a brass band.
The problem nowadays is that it all just comes down to money. And our lives are run by the most appalling little sh*** who's only claim to fame is that they can screw the maximum of work out of the rest of us for the minimum amount of money.
Come back Adolf, all is forgiven.