Somebody asked about the medieval equivalent of people’s modern jobs, and the answers shall bringeth joy to thy visage

However happy we are in our jobs, there are still often times when it’s tedious, uncomfortable or annoying. But have you ever considered what your chosen career would be like if you were doing it 700 years ago? Would it be better or worse, or is there simply no olden days equivalent?

They’ve been chewing this entertaining question over on the AskReddit page after user TheMarionberry posted this:

What is the medieval equivalent of your job/career?

And many a soul did offer their sagacious counsel…

1.

‘Well, I talk to rocks in esoteric languages and convince them to think for a living (software engineer).

So I guess that would make me a witch?’
–Xanwix

2.

‘Alternatively, you read and write in a language that most of the populace can’t, you’re a monk.’
–StickFigureFan

3.

‘I work with infectious diseases, which no one knew existed back then. I guess I’d be a healer herbal witch who made tonics and poultices, and when I couldn’t cure people of the plague they’d hang me for a witch. Unless I could discover penicillin and cure them, and then they’d still hang me for a witch.’
–shinygoldhelmet

4.

‘Traveling merchant (truck driver).’
–RoseKlingel

5.

‘Artist. We’ve been around forever. And I do oil paints so the medium is basically the same too (just with slightly less poisonous and unethical pigment sources).’
–wetredgloves

6.

‘Horse and carriage ‘driver’? Is driver the right word? I’m a taxi driver.’
–boromirsbeard

7.

‘Teacher. The same job for millennia, without a smart board.’
–SpecialWasabi

8.

‘I was a project manager. I guess even in ye olden days they needed supervisors, straw bosses, schedule guys and book keepers. Alexander the Great said that when he lost a battle, the first people he looked to kill were his ‘logisticians’, so same old, same new.’
–BASerx8

9.

‘Serving bread and porridge to the local drunkards while they watch a jousting match.’
–Flaminghotskittles

10.

‘Well, as far back as the Renaissance, still accounting. In medieval hours, it’d probably be more clerical/treasurer type work.’
–InsideJokeQRD

11.

‘Shit shoveler? I work in IT and all I do is fix other people’s shit.’
–Legionof1