Quote:
Originally posted by purse junkie
I don't know if anal-retentive joyless stiffs are drawn to the profession, or if otherwise pleasant human beings are turned into lifeless drones as a result of it. Many people I knew in law schools were amusing, thoughtful, politically concerned and social-good-motivated, but then turned into backstabbing, partnership-grubbing, nasty soulless hours-whores right after the bar exam.
PJ
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Maybe you are joking and I am missing it, but most of the people I went to law school with had all the signs of being those kind of people. Things like heavy neuroses, living in their own worlds about all kinds of stuff, obsessing about stuff, missing the forest for the trees, etc. Many seemed to think way too highly of themselves, think they were better than everyone and generall walk around looking like they were thinking "In ten years at our reunion, everyone will see how great I did and how I am so much better/smarter than everyone else." I never wished ill will on anyone, but I did feel that karma was somewhat right in the world when the gunners first year ended up with bad grades. Not when a few failed various bar exams, though. Nothing good comes of that.
Those people are more likely, I think, to go to big law firms, where that kind of behaviour increases. But I also saw it, and still see it, in a pretty wide cross-section of the legal profession.
Not to run down my co-workers too much, though. I actually think that most of the people I work with manifest their character flaws* in a personal and internal way. I like the people I work with and for (most of the time); but you can see their problems. Comments like "If I'm not married with a kid in three years I don't think my life will have had any meaning. I work all the time and I have nothing to show for it." are sad, but do something about it then!
* And, of course, who am I to talk? Mine are as bad as anyone's.
