The Pundamentals - Public sector vs Private sector

This week's Public sector strikes have led some of you, well..one of you (thanks Edmund) to raise the crucial question: Who puns more, the public or private sector?

This is such an important issue that I'm almost fatally challenged to resolve it; I am quite overwhelmed by it all to be honest. If I don't attempt to answer this query without resorting to a pie-chart then I think I'd be doing you all a great disservice.

So, during last Friday's Pun-off I asked Punners to state whether they worked in the Public or Private Sector or were self employed or whatever other status one can have. Is Student a real status? I know that when I was a student I probably didn't scientifically qualify to be a living organism let alone a member of an occupational group. 

 

Anyway, moving on. The results are in and have been lovingly compiled by the very man who raised the issue in the first place; the recently disqualified...some might say disgraced Edmund McCartney:

 

Source: The Pun-Off Participant occupational Survey - 02.12.11

 

 

So there you have it! A thought provoking result I'd say. Now, I'm not here to raise the issue of who does the most work on a Friday or whose work is more important and so on. I'm certainly not here to debate about public sector strikes or unfair pay and pensions, or the disproportionate distribution of wealth or anything else universally important. All these issues and more than worthy of debate but this is not the forum. Oh no.

 

I think my role here is to draw attention to the fact that Punning is a great leveller - a constant right afforded to every man and woman no matter what their place in society, no matter what their role. From the highest of Kings to the lowliest of peasants; everyman enjoys a Pun.

 

I suppose, in all honesty, I was just mildly curious about which occupational sector Puns more. But, it is my opinion that what we do to earn money is probably the least important thing about us. In this context I think we should be judged on our actions within the Punning realm first and foremost. It is fair to say that while our demography (race, age, gender, sexuality and religious beliefs)might influence the style of our Punning the differences attributable directly to this would be too subtle in most cases.

 

I sense this whole issue has a potential undertone - that being; that people from one sector wish to prove that the other wastes more time on Facebook instead of doing what they're paid to do. To those people I say this - if you think that Punning is a waste of time then you have no place here. Besides, if your entire day is occupied purely by the process of conceiving Puns and typing them out it is probable that you have quite severe cognitive processing difficulties and may need to seek clinical intervention.

 

Everyone skives from work - it is a naturally occurring process; much like photosynthesis in plants. Some higher-level skiving is frankly unacceptable but if your skiving is within a Punning context then it can not be considered such.

 

So, let us Pun on together; wherever we work. Let us Pun on in spirit in which it was intended - a fair and honest sharing of Puns with a soft and comforting competitive edge.

 

As long as Punning is the winner I care not a jot.