I could understand if he were a millennial and had no prospects, but he should have been able to do better in the 80s/90s.
shareI think this question has been asked before.
If I can find it in the old discussions, I will post it here.
... but he should have been able to do better in the 80s/90s.
yeah the show began in 98 but he'd already been working there for years before the show started. hell he was even working there before doug and carrie met
shareAs far as college graduation ... yes, that would have been late 80s or possibly early 90s.
The series certainly never did a good job of explaining why a bright and college-educated guy like Deacon "settled" for a job -- much less, a career -- as a package delivery driver.
The show has stated that Deacon went to St John's, but I don't think they ever said he graduated or got his degree.
Deacon always wanted to move up in IPS, wanted to become supervisor and above. So he thought of the drivers job as a means to an end.
It was Doug who wanted to stay a driver and not advance.
Gee Woodle, Space Kadoodle!
The show has stated that Deacon went to St John's, but I don't think they ever said he graduated or got his degree.
Deacon always wanted to move up in IPS, wanted to become supervisor and above. So he thought of the drivers job as a means to an end.
It was Doug who wanted to stay a driver and not advance.
Oh I have known plenty of people who had some college, quit, some had parents who graduated some didn't. There was no pattern. Just how much they liked school.
In my head, my scenario on what happened after the show ends, includes Deacon becoming a higher-up at IPS.
Gee Woodle, Space Kadoodle!
From what we know about Deacon, he wasn't really a "quitter". Plus, he was very bright and intelligent. And a hard worker. My guess is that he would complete college, not that he would quit college. (Also, don't forget: he had a military background. He wouldn't let the whole "geez, I really don't like school" idea deter him from getting a degree.)
By rights, the character of Deacon "should have" been promoted at IPS. However, that would trample on the premise of the show. Having Deacon as a "higher up" and not "equivalent" to Doug (or even as Doug's boss) would have impeded the story lines of their friendship, shenanigans, etc.
The premise was more rich when "the boss" (O'Boyle or any of the un-named executives) were "the enemy" and those to be conspired against and toyed with. Having Deacon "cross over to that side" would have hurt the show's premise (a bunch of blue-collar guys hanging out and navigating life).
I have thought of a very good reason Deacon is a driver at IPS, regardless of how much college he had.
Union job, steady paycheck, good benefits. Means everything when you have 4 people (including yourself) to support and provide health care for.
Many people make more at a union job like Deacon & Doug's than others do at a job that requires the degree they earned in a 4 year college.
Finishing college often means wracking up more debt. Deacon's father being a dentist doesn't mean he was wealthy and could afford to put Deacon through college.
When you are single with no dependents you can indulge your dream of working in your field of passion for less money, but with 2 kids, you have to work where the money is.
And how much school you have had doesn't always translate to how much money you will make.
Gee Woodle, Space Kadoodle!
Yes, but you can get a "good gob, steady paycheck, and good benefits" without it being a union job.
Clearly ... many, many, many executives and upper-level managers have a good gob, a steady paycheck, and good benefits.
In the "real world", someone like Deacon would probably not be satisfied as a truck driver. Or, if he was, it would be just for a few years. Certainly not for 10+ years.
The reason that the writers held Deacon back was so that he could be "on par" with Doug. So that they could commiserate and so that they could engage in their shenanigans.
Maybe Deacon just talked a good talk (i.e., for Kelly's sake). But -- deep down in his heart -- he really did not want to get promoted. With his skills and abilities -- and being black, no less -- he would have been promoted much earlier into his ten-year career if he really wanted that to happen.
As someone pointed out, Deacon entered the job market in the late 80's. Not in today's 2016 economy.
Quite apart from the show, in real life, to be promoted there has to be somewhere for you to go, higher up in the company that you are qualified for.
Since it was a Union place (sorry to mention it again but it matters) there was little turnover. So the chances for advancement are if someone higher up quits, dies, or retires. Or is fired for something the union can't help them with. Or the company expands, opens more branches or departments.
I had a good job for 22 years. It wasn't union but there wasn't much turnover. The owner of the company retired and sold. Sucks for me.
Gee Woodle, Space Kadoodle!
Deacon was there (at IPS) for the full ten years of the show.
He was also there in that "flashback" episode (which happened in "Summer 1995", according to the captions). This is the episode where Doug tried to impress Carrie before they were married and Doug needed to borrow Deacon's IPS uniform.
So, at a minimum, Deacon was with with IPS for about 15 years or so.
And this itself even assumes that Deacon just started working with IPS as a new hire, when we first met Deacon.
We can all safely assume that -- in 15 years of time -- there was turnover (employees who quit, die, retire, etc.).
If I recall, IPS was "International Parcel Service". So, that's a huge operation. They probably had offices all over the world.
Also, the employees that are in the "higher up" positions are not union employees. They are management. So, there certainly is turn-over (without union restrictions).
In any event, an international company like IPS would have had many opportunities to promote an employee like Deacon in a 15-year stretch.
They even held "workshops" and "training sessions" and "aptitude tests" for lower-level employees interested in higher-level advancement (i.e., promotions). Implying that upper mobility was a commonplace event, so much so that they needed to recruit and/or develop interest in it. Not that it was scarce.
If Patrick O'Boyle isn't union, then it doesn't make sense that he wasn't fired for "going too far with some of the wives" at the company picnic, where he had to go to rehab afterward.
In most companies he would have simply been fired.
Gee Woodle, Space Kadoodle!
We don't know if O'Boyle was or was not union. Depends on his job.
If he was "only" a supervisor, he was probably union.
If he was a bit "higher" (like a manager or whatever), he was probably not union.
He said that he "went too far with one of the wives".
That could have been him simply "bragging" to Doug.
Instead of saying, "hey, I am a drunk alcoholic loser", he says "I fooled around with someone's wife at the picnic".
If he had to go to rehab and avoided a firing, he could still be either union or non-union.
If he was union, he had union protections.
If he was not union, the "higher ups" liked him and wanted to keep him on board. They gave him a "free pass".
I doubt he'd get fired on his "first offense".
And I somewhat doubt the credibility of his version ("I was fooling around with another employee's wife.").
Also:
O'Boyle would have had a layer of legal protections (before getting fired).
He would say "the fact that I was fooling around with someone's wife was a direct result of my alcoholism".
Alcoholism is a medical condition. And it's a disability.
So, he would claim some form of discrimination, etc.
So, the company would not fire him -- right off the bat -- and they'd require his rehab treatment instead.
And, again, we don't know what misconduct he really engaged in. We just got O'Boyle's version of the story.
His version is more humorous, but probably more implausible.
The writers are concerned with humor, not plausibility.
I know a few very smart people who didn't finish college and ended up retiring from or are still in jobs that are below their level of intelligence.
I think a lot of times it comes down to the right mix of timing, ambition and opportunity.
Deacon actually got promoted a couple of times, but than when the story continued he was back to being a truck driver lol
shareDeacon actually got promoted a couple of times, but than when the story continued he was back to being a truck driver lol
I agree that it was never properly explained. Deacon had a wife who didn't appear to work and two kids. Even if he was happy working 9-5 in an easy job, he would have enough motivation to work his way up. I think it served the premise better for Deacon to remain at the same level as Doug, though they touched on promotion issues a few times.
shareDeacon never being promoted in 15 years was simply unrealistic. From a factual point of view.
He was bright and hard-working. He had a college education. He also had 15 years of seniority. And he had a good attendance record and a good "package delivery record" (not breaking package contents).
Plus, he was Black.
Plus, he was in New York City, of all places. If it's an international company, I am sure they have several offices in New York City (not just the one depot where Doug and Deacon worked).
The writers needed for Deacon and Doug to be "equal", and not have Deacon be superior (with Doug subordinate). That status would have ruined a lot of the humor of the show and of their friendship.
If Deacon was on an "equal" status with Doug, that fact allows them to engage in shenanigans, especially work-place shenanigans.
And it allows them both to view the "boss" as the "enemy".
So, they could toy with O'Boyle and upper management, etc., to their heart's content.
Did they ever say what Deacon's degree was? He may have gone to school just because he had no other prospects, and settled for a Bachelor's in say, English or Liberal Arts, in which case his chances of getting a high paying job with benefits was nil. He may have just coasted through college, getting a degree that was easy to obtain, saw there was no jobs where he could utilize the degree, and then take the job at IPS.
Also, I use to work in a supermarket where two of my bosses had college degrees, one in teaching, one in sociology. Yet there there were at Foodtown, making more money than they would have if they had utilized their degree. So Deacon going to college and then ending up at IPS is entirely plausible to me.
Of course, it's plausible. It's just unlikely.
They never mentioned Deacon's college major.
His character doesn't seem like a guy who would major in some "fluff", just to earn a degree.
Deacon seemed rather level-headed, pragmatic, and practical.
Could also be that promotional opportunities are there but would require re-location and he is not willing to do that. My brother-in-law, with degree from same college I attended, was assistant manager of a location for a major international company but all opportunities to move up to manager would require re-location and he refuses to do that. I assume they would pay the costs but he refuses.
Maybe IPS also prefers truck drivers moving to management re-locate so they are not so friendly with the drivers they will supervise. I think the military used to have some rules like that. And Deacon thus far is stuck because he won't move. Maybe his wife prefers New York even with his lower paycheck.
Possibly valid points.
But I will repeat my above post:
Deacon never being promoted in 15 years was simply unrealistic. From a factual point of view.share
He was bright and hard-working. He had a college education. He also had 15 years of seniority. And he had a good attendance record and a good "package delivery record" (not breaking package contents).
Plus, he was Black.
Plus, he was in New York City, of all places. If it's an international company, I am sure they have several offices in New York City (not just the one depot where Doug and Deacon worked).
The writers needed for Deacon and Doug to be "equal", and not have Deacon be superior (with Doug subordinate). That status would have ruined a lot of the humor of the show and of their friendship.
If Deacon was on an "equal" status with Doug, that fact allows them to engage in shenanigans, especially work-place shenanigans.
And it allows them both to view the "boss" as the "enemy".
So, they could toy with O'Boyle and upper management, etc., to their heart's content.
I always found it weird that when it came time to offer a supervisor spot between the two of them, they didn't just offer it to Deacon because he was clearly there longer (not sure how much longer). Deacon had also mentioned that he was in the National Guard at one point. Not sure how that relates to college and what not. I also have read articles about UPS, and how they have a huge back log of applicants dying for jobs. A lot of jobs these days without degrees make more than with. For example my one sister has a degree in history and I make more than her (I have a 2 year diploma). My one cousin is a teacher (also a degree) and doesn't make half as much as a lot of other people I know without degrees. I have a friend who started at Wal Mart on the loading dock for 9 dollars an hour and now manages a handful of stores.
shareThey were more concerned about comedy and humor (i.e., setting up funny situations).
They were less concerned with providing realistic situations, which would be relatively un-funny.
Because IPS workers make 6 figures with benefits and pension and paid time off and he probably regrets wasting time in college.
shareIT WAA RACISM!!!111111
Deacon wasn't allowed to get ahead because be was a BLAXK MAN!!!12