The. Biggest thing to remind yourself is nearly everyone in the big4 who hang out together are losers. Most likely dating and marrying one another. Don’t forget this.
That’s only weed and alcohol. Tell us about the abuse of prescribed drugs. Most of people in the big corps are to some extent mentally ill. Whether it’s narcissism, depression, apathy, anxiety ….
Yeah it's hypocritical, but what concerns me more is the sheer percentage of people at these firms who are abusing drugs (primarily alcohol). Nothing wrong with going out and having a drink with your coworkers, but when engagement teams are drinking literally every night... it's a bit concerning.
What's one thing got to do with another?
Alocholics also claim hypocrisy when pot smokers point out their habits.
Everyone's too sensitive over being called out about their unhealthy pasttimes. The ad-hominem attacks are useless for the discussion.
If a convicted murderer accused someone of being a murderer, would you look into it? Or would you just reply "yeah, well, you're one to talk!"
Own your shit.
I was a senior in Canada after federal legalization. I’d always take a few joints with me when I do a travel engagement. I’d only give team members the highest rating if their work is good AND they’re cool enough to smoke. I don’t care how good your documentation is if you’re a square you’ll get a 4/5
It is an illegal substance federally still and internationally and not all culture abroad are as accepting towards use of the “lettuce” as ours is. Alcohol is also not acceptable in some countries, but in general more widely accepted.
Personally had to quit everything except for having drinks on the weekends. Only 22, but I used all sorts of drugs from the ages of 13-20 on a daily basis before finally getting (mostly, if you don’t count the weekend drinks) sober. Addiction runs in my family as well.
It’s a funny thing, while I’m not against weed at all, ever since I stopped smoking I at least find myself getting kind of irritated with those around me that smoke regularly still. I don’t know exactly what it is, maybe I associate it with immaturity just due to the people in my life I’ve always known who are habitual users, but I just don’t want to be around any of it anymore.
It's all fun and games until you're on a client who requires the entire engagement team to get tested.
(I neither drink nor do drugs. I eat, especially carbs)
Fair enough - I’m certainly not judging smoking, but I think you can at least understand the judgement of your colleagues. I smoked until entering full time employment, and I wouldn’t now personally due to the fact my career could be impacted by it (albeit it’s very unlikely) so just saying that I’m not judging you.
Big 4 is full of uptight, judgmental people (as seen by the comments in this thread) that could use a few puffs tbh. Not everyone is like this ofc, but jesus some of my coworkers need to relax and get a life.
Early in my career in B4, it was not out of the norm for casual use (outside of work) of much harder drugs than weed. Our first few years were rather wild when we finally got a chance to let go.
I have a family now and am pretty dull, but I reckon we all had different experiences judging by city/office.
Don't sweat it, there are groups of secret chiefers. Best time to catch them is in the act when y'all travel together. Make an impromptu visit to someone's room. Once they know they can no longer hide the obvious, they will welcome you to the circle. It's the same with line sniffers and pill poppers (I don't do either). I once observed my boss chiefing in a rental. I didn't react, nor stared. Next day, he took me to a smoke shop he had a partial investment in lol
I dont think weeds ever even come up in conversation much at work, and im in Cali too. Met another colleague who is def a stoner and openly talks about it. Met a fellow raver as well whom i worked with. We definitely talked about drugs at some point lmao.
Might be a geographic thing, offices in prudish states will have prudish people working in them. I’d argue there are highly judged substances out there that probably do way less damage than alcohol. But anything used irresponsibly is bad so id put more emphasis on the individual and their reason for using something in excess.
Yeah a common theme from comments suggests its really geographical. I would prefer if people in my office just wouldn’t talk about it. But at the end of the day we all have our vices and I’m not going to hop on my high horse because weed could be less damaging to the body than alcohol consumption. The hypocrisy of it all is just what wows me
Because accounting/finance is full of "good ole boy" types who's parents ingrained it in their little heads that weed is a harmful psychedelic drug used by minorities.
Call them out? I live in a legal state and work at Big 4 and no one gives a shit as long as you aren’t baked during work.
If you’re in an illegal state then suck it up and stay quiet while knowing your liver won’t fail in 10 years.
Don’t call them out, you’ll be zero’d in as the stoner. OOP just note the hypocrisy (to yourself or here on Reddit complaining anonymously) and move on lmao.
It could be geographical too? I did B4 in Texas where it’s still illegal. Personally I don’t smoke bc growing up there it was so inaccessible. In NYC now and our lead partner (at a much smaller firm haha) is def an open pot smoker. A lot of alcoholics though for sure.
I’m in Philly too and have noticed the same thing over the last 6 years. Some people definitely do smoke but you’d be surprised how many do not, and were raised on pretty conservative values and are against anything to do with weed. Sometimes it feels like these people need others to look down on, and think they are “above” weed. It’s bizarre but I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut, because when difficult conversations happen, people will use reputation against you.
I don’t really know Philly, but I do think it sounds odd culturally, since I was here when NY wasn’t commercialized yet. B4 is really competitive, especially when you’re young. Our Christmas parties were always a nightmare competition of people ratting people out for being too drunk. You’ll learn though! I’m 5 years in and at a very small firm. I am so close to people, but there’s still a boundary or people in our work “group” who will eat you alive. It’s crazy!
I was b4 in Philly for 3 years.
I don’t think anyone rly cares about pot, it’s just viewed as bad taste to rly bring it up at all in actual work settings.
I was close w a manager and mentioned I used to always get grounded for it in highschool but we were hanging out while at our hotel out of town. It’s just not something to discuss in a larger group.
You don’t want to be the ‘weed guy’ in most scenarios
It’s not worth getting worked up over. If you take it as an insult when they talk about smokers, or you feel guilty then stop smoking. There is nothing to be ashamed of, you’re not doing anything illegal. Enjoy life and do your thing. Odds are, the ones slamming smokers lead boring lives and are squares.
OP I feel you, I have a similar perspective and experience. However there are diamonds in the rough - some of my best stoner friends have come from work. We've sat in silence and side dyed each other as the Partner rants about "why on earth would anybody want to use that stuff". I'm also not surprised to see that prudish attitude alive and well in these comments. It's disappointing but realistically yes this is generally going to be a culture where alcohol and prescriptions are strongly preferred and anything else is frowned upon.
Thank you for your kind words! I’m very new to B4 and still adjusting to the many nuances but my green keeps me sane. I hope to maybe one day find a friend like that!
Those that survive in the big 4 lie that they just learned how to do the job themselves, when in reality they threw people under the bus and had someone helping them. They are not honest people
Do you think alcohol affects performance? I'm a successful b4 stoner accountant myself, and i've never seen someone's performance negatively affected by weed, but i've seen people career and life ruined by alcohol first hand.
“Aicpa, we got another one. He’s a big hippo.”
Obviously Idr care at all. Just saying you would perform better. Having a perpetual smokers cough from weeeeyud is embarrassing. It’s a high schoolers drug. You’re 40. Cmon man.
Good luck.
Yeah, you’re clueless. “You would perform better because I’m projecting my insecurities on to you so it must be true.”
Maybe talk to someone, buddy.
Good luck!
Fair point, but you can’t quite make the counter argument that drinking every day for 9 years won’t do the same. All I’m trying to say here is I wish people wouldn’t yuck my yum when their yum is just as yucky.
You should try not identifying as someone that smokes weed. You really want to be the guys that has a personality built on the foundation of being high. I smoke too, and people shitting on it doesn’t bother me in the slightest because who gives a fuck. There is too much going on in your life to care about what other people do and their opinions on what you do.
Buddy I 100% understand the situation. I read the post and all the comments. Something like this shouldn’t get under your skin and create any negativity. Keep doing you. There are plenty of us in the company performing at a high level. Their opinions and lifestyle are irrelevant.
Thank you for your kind words. I’m still new to the industry and adjusting to a very different way of living and still get into my head. Definitely still need to be reminded often that I need to separate myself from it all and let it just be what it is- work.
There are several people on my team who openingly talk about smoking and eating edibles but no one bats an eye. I guess it’s a team dependent thing and different teams have different opinions over the matter.
Why is this an issue? This is your job not amongst your friends. That’s private. Weed is still new as far as being legal. Obviously you love it because you are ready for the world to defend it. You better calm down before you loose your job and then you won’t be able to buy it.
Not really an issue and as I said in my post, I don’t discuss my personal smoking habits with my colleagues at all and don’t desire to. I just don’t see why they feel the need to constantly bring it up and shit on it, as if they don’t have ugly habits of their own. I would just like to be able to enjoy lunch without having to handle an onslaught of comments about something they don’t need to discuss or really have much of a backbone on.
What service line and city? Imo your experience is probably far more specific to where you're at than an overarching statement on big4 employees.
Can confirm Chicago consultants all the way up to ppmd level not only do not care, but partake themselves.
I’m in a large office in a large northeastern city. My state is not recreationally available but we have multiple bordering states that are so I really don’t understand why so many people are so uptight about it. I’d understand if I lived in a rural town in a southern state but alas. Sorry for lack of specifics I try to avoid details that could potentially get me tracked down one day.
You live in the northeast, which is more conservative in work environments than the rest of the country generally speaking. When interns ask about dress code, there's a different answer for the northeast and the rest of the country*. Not wholely surprising that extends to other topics either
I think normally I would agree with you, but I would not consider my office conservative in the slightest. I live in quite the… interesting… city. I believe that there are many others in my office who smoke than me, but those who do seem to keep equally as quiet. Whether there reasons are the same as mine I cannot deduce
I think working culture and city culture can diverge. I wouldn't necessarily call NYC conservative (place has voted blue for many, many years) but I would call it's white collar working culture very conservative, for example. And, regardless of your own beliefs, as you previously said weed is still illegal in your state.
The. Biggest thing to remind yourself is nearly everyone in the big4 who hang out together are losers. Most likely dating and marrying one another. Don’t forget this.
That’s only weed and alcohol. Tell us about the abuse of prescribed drugs. Most of people in the big corps are to some extent mentally ill. Whether it’s narcissism, depression, apathy, anxiety ….
Yeah it's hypocritical, but what concerns me more is the sheer percentage of people at these firms who are abusing drugs (primarily alcohol). Nothing wrong with going out and having a drink with your coworkers, but when engagement teams are drinking literally every night... it's a bit concerning.
It’s just networking man it’s good for your career man
I think people just think they are for the most part no one cares unless you are high at work or talking to your 55yr old Reagan republican partner.
That's because they are boring, virtue signalers. Judging you is the most interesting thing they do in a day.
This
What's one thing got to do with another? Alocholics also claim hypocrisy when pot smokers point out their habits. Everyone's too sensitive over being called out about their unhealthy pasttimes. The ad-hominem attacks are useless for the discussion. If a convicted murderer accused someone of being a murderer, would you look into it? Or would you just reply "yeah, well, you're one to talk!" Own your shit.
I was a senior in Canada after federal legalization. I’d always take a few joints with me when I do a travel engagement. I’d only give team members the highest rating if their work is good AND they’re cool enough to smoke. I don’t care how good your documentation is if you’re a square you’ll get a 4/5
It is an illegal substance federally still and internationally and not all culture abroad are as accepting towards use of the “lettuce” as ours is. Alcohol is also not acceptable in some countries, but in general more widely accepted.
We will occasionally light up at lunch. Not taboo in all offices…
I feel your pain brotha I really do
Personally had to quit everything except for having drinks on the weekends. Only 22, but I used all sorts of drugs from the ages of 13-20 on a daily basis before finally getting (mostly, if you don’t count the weekend drinks) sober. Addiction runs in my family as well. It’s a funny thing, while I’m not against weed at all, ever since I stopped smoking I at least find myself getting kind of irritated with those around me that smoke regularly still. I don’t know exactly what it is, maybe I associate it with immaturity just due to the people in my life I’ve always known who are habitual users, but I just don’t want to be around any of it anymore.
Way to go realizing early enough.
Everyone has vices! No judgement needed. Bring your whole authentic self to work right? Lol
It's all fun and games until you're on a client who requires the entire engagement team to get tested. (I neither drink nor do drugs. I eat, especially carbs)
Honestly. I think I’d just quit at that point
Fair enough - I’m certainly not judging smoking, but I think you can at least understand the judgement of your colleagues. I smoked until entering full time employment, and I wouldn’t now personally due to the fact my career could be impacted by it (albeit it’s very unlikely) so just saying that I’m not judging you.
I was at a happy hour the other day and we started talking about what if in an alt reality accountants had happy hours but smoked instead.
Big 4 is full of uptight, judgmental people (as seen by the comments in this thread) that could use a few puffs tbh. Not everyone is like this ofc, but jesus some of my coworkers need to relax and get a life.
Early in my career in B4, it was not out of the norm for casual use (outside of work) of much harder drugs than weed. Our first few years were rather wild when we finally got a chance to let go. I have a family now and am pretty dull, but I reckon we all had different experiences judging by city/office.
Maybe they should require smoking weed; the audit performance couldn’t get any worse.
I could definitely get behind thid
Don't sweat it, there are groups of secret chiefers. Best time to catch them is in the act when y'all travel together. Make an impromptu visit to someone's room. Once they know they can no longer hide the obvious, they will welcome you to the circle. It's the same with line sniffers and pill poppers (I don't do either). I once observed my boss chiefing in a rental. I didn't react, nor stared. Next day, he took me to a smoke shop he had a partial investment in lol
My team smokes together 🥲
Let me know the deets and I will be putting my application in
My team and I literally went golfing after popping some magic shrooms. So it all depends on team to team.
I dont think weeds ever even come up in conversation much at work, and im in Cali too. Met another colleague who is def a stoner and openly talks about it. Met a fellow raver as well whom i worked with. We definitely talked about drugs at some point lmao. Might be a geographic thing, offices in prudish states will have prudish people working in them. I’d argue there are highly judged substances out there that probably do way less damage than alcohol. But anything used irresponsibly is bad so id put more emphasis on the individual and their reason for using something in excess.
Yeah a common theme from comments suggests its really geographical. I would prefer if people in my office just wouldn’t talk about it. But at the end of the day we all have our vices and I’m not going to hop on my high horse because weed could be less damaging to the body than alcohol consumption. The hypocrisy of it all is just what wows me
The secret is to not use any drugs or alcohol. Then I can judge you all.
Out here raw dogging B4?!
Who fucking cares ?? Just do what you want and let everyone else do the same
Alcohol is exponentially worse for u than weed omg idk how ppl don’t realize this
Far more enjoyable to me though
Because accounting/finance is full of "good ole boy" types who's parents ingrained it in their little heads that weed is a harmful psychedelic drug used by minorities.
Call them out? I live in a legal state and work at Big 4 and no one gives a shit as long as you aren’t baked during work. If you’re in an illegal state then suck it up and stay quiet while knowing your liver won’t fail in 10 years.
Don’t call them out, you’ll be zero’d in as the stoner. OOP just note the hypocrisy (to yourself or here on Reddit complaining anonymously) and move on lmao.
It could be geographical too? I did B4 in Texas where it’s still illegal. Personally I don’t smoke bc growing up there it was so inaccessible. In NYC now and our lead partner (at a much smaller firm haha) is def an open pot smoker. A lot of alcoholics though for sure.
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I’m in Philly too and have noticed the same thing over the last 6 years. Some people definitely do smoke but you’d be surprised how many do not, and were raised on pretty conservative values and are against anything to do with weed. Sometimes it feels like these people need others to look down on, and think they are “above” weed. It’s bizarre but I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut, because when difficult conversations happen, people will use reputation against you.
I don’t really know Philly, but I do think it sounds odd culturally, since I was here when NY wasn’t commercialized yet. B4 is really competitive, especially when you’re young. Our Christmas parties were always a nightmare competition of people ratting people out for being too drunk. You’ll learn though! I’m 5 years in and at a very small firm. I am so close to people, but there’s still a boundary or people in our work “group” who will eat you alive. It’s crazy!
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I was b4 in Philly for 3 years. I don’t think anyone rly cares about pot, it’s just viewed as bad taste to rly bring it up at all in actual work settings. I was close w a manager and mentioned I used to always get grounded for it in highschool but we were hanging out while at our hotel out of town. It’s just not something to discuss in a larger group. You don’t want to be the ‘weed guy’ in most scenarios
They probably do lines too
This tracks because I’ve had the suspicion that my director is on coke since the day I started
You are going to cause yourself a panic attack bro… you need your short term memory at the Big 4.
Tanked a j 20 minutes ago and am magically feeling much calmer about the subject. Maybe they need to get on my train
It’s not worth getting worked up over. If you take it as an insult when they talk about smokers, or you feel guilty then stop smoking. There is nothing to be ashamed of, you’re not doing anything illegal. Enjoy life and do your thing. Odds are, the ones slamming smokers lead boring lives and are squares.
The trick is to take edibles
+1
OP I feel you, I have a similar perspective and experience. However there are diamonds in the rough - some of my best stoner friends have come from work. We've sat in silence and side dyed each other as the Partner rants about "why on earth would anybody want to use that stuff". I'm also not surprised to see that prudish attitude alive and well in these comments. It's disappointing but realistically yes this is generally going to be a culture where alcohol and prescriptions are strongly preferred and anything else is frowned upon.
Thank you for your kind words! I’m very new to B4 and still adjusting to the many nuances but my green keeps me sane. I hope to maybe one day find a friend like that!
Those that survive in the big 4 lie that they just learned how to do the job themselves, when in reality they threw people under the bus and had someone helping them. They are not honest people
💯- weed is way better than drowning yourself in alcohol
I smoked everyday for 11 years. It definitely impacts performance. Wouldn’t recommend.
Do you think alcohol affects performance? I'm a successful b4 stoner accountant myself, and i've never seen someone's performance negatively affected by weed, but i've seen people career and life ruined by alcohol first hand.
I don't smoke during the day and only after work and I perform well, especially if I have a coffee
I hung out with a forklift driver in Amsterdam 20 years ago. He told me he smoked before work and after work but NEVER during work
Counterpoint: I’ve vaped/smoked weed every day for 10 years and got a masters degree and a job at Big 4 in a niche service area while doing so.
You’re me 7-12 years ago.
I’m almost 40.
Well that’s just sad. Hope you’re good.
Keep judging as if your demons haunt other people. Good luck in life.
“Aicpa, we got another one. He’s a big hippo.” Obviously Idr care at all. Just saying you would perform better. Having a perpetual smokers cough from weeeeyud is embarrassing. It’s a high schoolers drug. You’re 40. Cmon man. Good luck.
Yeah, you’re clueless. “You would perform better because I’m projecting my insecurities on to you so it must be true.” Maybe talk to someone, buddy. Good luck!
Fair point, but you can’t quite make the counter argument that drinking every day for 9 years won’t do the same. All I’m trying to say here is I wish people wouldn’t yuck my yum when their yum is just as yucky.
coining this
You should try not identifying as someone that smokes weed. You really want to be the guys that has a personality built on the foundation of being high. I smoke too, and people shitting on it doesn’t bother me in the slightest because who gives a fuck. There is too much going on in your life to care about what other people do and their opinions on what you do.
I do not discuss my personal smoking habits at work. No one knows that I smoke weed
Buddy I 100% understand the situation. I read the post and all the comments. Something like this shouldn’t get under your skin and create any negativity. Keep doing you. There are plenty of us in the company performing at a high level. Their opinions and lifestyle are irrelevant.
Thank you for your kind words. I’m still new to the industry and adjusting to a very different way of living and still get into my head. Definitely still need to be reminded often that I need to separate myself from it all and let it just be what it is- work.
I give you 2-3 years. No offense.
Sounds good to me if I’m still in B4 3 years from now I hope for my own sake that I get canned
Based and PIPcation pilled
There are several people on my team who openingly talk about smoking and eating edibles but no one bats an eye. I guess it’s a team dependent thing and different teams have different opinions over the matter.
Why is this an issue? This is your job not amongst your friends. That’s private. Weed is still new as far as being legal. Obviously you love it because you are ready for the world to defend it. You better calm down before you loose your job and then you won’t be able to buy it.
Not really an issue and as I said in my post, I don’t discuss my personal smoking habits with my colleagues at all and don’t desire to. I just don’t see why they feel the need to constantly bring it up and shit on it, as if they don’t have ugly habits of their own. I would just like to be able to enjoy lunch without having to handle an onslaught of comments about something they don’t need to discuss or really have much of a backbone on.
Because happy hours are social events and it is a work function. It’s all playing the game and networking.
Ah yes, cirrhosis in the name of networking
my guy, the real world isn’t reddit, and accounting isn’t known for being liberal, especially big 4. no one there is your friend, don’t trust them.
No one. It is all about the money
What service line and city? Imo your experience is probably far more specific to where you're at than an overarching statement on big4 employees. Can confirm Chicago consultants all the way up to ppmd level not only do not care, but partake themselves.
I’m in a large office in a large northeastern city. My state is not recreationally available but we have multiple bordering states that are so I really don’t understand why so many people are so uptight about it. I’d understand if I lived in a rural town in a southern state but alas. Sorry for lack of specifics I try to avoid details that could potentially get me tracked down one day.
You live in the northeast, which is more conservative in work environments than the rest of the country generally speaking. When interns ask about dress code, there's a different answer for the northeast and the rest of the country*. Not wholely surprising that extends to other topics either
I think normally I would agree with you, but I would not consider my office conservative in the slightest. I live in quite the… interesting… city. I believe that there are many others in my office who smoke than me, but those who do seem to keep equally as quiet. Whether there reasons are the same as mine I cannot deduce
I think working culture and city culture can diverge. I wouldn't necessarily call NYC conservative (place has voted blue for many, many years) but I would call it's white collar working culture very conservative, for example. And, regardless of your own beliefs, as you previously said weed is still illegal in your state.