Full Version: Work
The old adage that work isn't everything is one that most people believe in. Yet, we strive to earn that second(or third) master's degree, we give our children anxiety on the ACT, because we know their life will be over if they don't get into Yale. 
I'd like to examine people's attitudes about work since it does have a lot to do with personal philosophy and comprises such a large portion of our lives.
Questions for debate:
1.)Does what you do for a living determine your ultimate happiness?
2.)Could you have "optimal happiness" if your work life was bad but your personal(i.e.-home life) was good? Can you have the one without the other?
3.)Do you work to live or live to work?
4.)Is work something you just "have to do" or do you view it as a personal calling that is meant to help you explore who you really are; and that it is ultimately what you desire to leave behind for mankind?
I'd like to examine people's attitudes about work since it does have a lot to do with personal philosophy and comprises such a large portion of our lives. Questions for debate:
1.)Does what you do for a living determine your ultimate happiness?
2.)Could you have "optimal happiness" if your work life was bad but your personal(i.e.-home life) was good? Can you have the one without the other?
3.)Do you work to live or live to work?
4.)Is work something you just "have to do" or do you view it as a personal calling that is meant to help you explore who you really are; and that it is ultimately what you desire to leave behind for mankind?
Nebrasksa, an excellent topic! One which I frequently debate with one of my friends...
1.)Does what you do for a living determine your ultimate happiness?
2.)Could you have "optimal happiness" if your work life was bad but your personal(i.e.-home life) was good? Can you have the one without the other?
3.)Do you work to live or live to work?
4.)Is work something you just "have to do" or do you view it as a personal calling that is meant to help you explore who you really are; and that it is ultimately what you desire to leave behind for mankind?[/B]
My friend keeps telling me I'm a live to work person. While I would tend to disagree, I find that people's perceptions of you are often more accurate than your self-image, so I'll just fess up and admit it. I think the answers to 1, 2, and 4 probably determine what your answer to 3 should be. I would have to say:
1. Yes. You spend so much time at work that, to me, it just seems impossible to achieve ultimate happiness if you're not happy at work.
2. Happiness, yes. Optimal happiness? I don't think so (see above). Unless your job is just ok, but you recognize and accept certain benefits it allows (money, time, location, schedule) that are very beneficial to your life, thereby creating a positive, though not optimal, effect on your happiness.
4. Guilty of 'personal calling'. I am doing something (consulting) that I always wanted to do. Is it what I desire to leave behind as my mark for mankind? No, probably not. Despite my answers here, I do firmly believe in the adage "No one, on their death bed, ever looks back and wishes they had spent more time at work". But, in today's society, its difficult to escape.
To further this debate, I'll share the one I have with my friend (he's a work-to-live person.) He doesn't like his job, and is all about planning what he'll do when he retires. To which I point out that if he liked his job more, and were therefore more motivated, he'd be doing better, getting promoted, making more money, and be more able to retire sooner. (I, on the other hand, can't reallly imagine fully retiring 'til much later, although a part-time gig combined with writing or teaching would be perfect). So, I'd like to add:
5. If you're a live-to-work, does this have a negative effect on your ability to participate in activities outside of work? If you're work-to-life, does this detract from your job success, thereby negatively impacting your outside activities?
Following this logic, it seems clear to me that some sort of balance is ideal. But I would add that those that seem to have this balance, and enjoy ultimate happiness, all seem to fall into the live-to-work category
1.)Does what you do for a living determine your ultimate happiness?
2.)Could you have "optimal happiness" if your work life was bad but your personal(i.e.-home life) was good? Can you have the one without the other?
3.)Do you work to live or live to work?
4.)Is work something you just "have to do" or do you view it as a personal calling that is meant to help you explore who you really are; and that it is ultimately what you desire to leave behind for mankind?[/B]
My friend keeps telling me I'm a live to work person. While I would tend to disagree, I find that people's perceptions of you are often more accurate than your self-image, so I'll just fess up and admit it. I think the answers to 1, 2, and 4 probably determine what your answer to 3 should be. I would have to say:
1. Yes. You spend so much time at work that, to me, it just seems impossible to achieve ultimate happiness if you're not happy at work.
2. Happiness, yes. Optimal happiness? I don't think so (see above). Unless your job is just ok, but you recognize and accept certain benefits it allows (money, time, location, schedule) that are very beneficial to your life, thereby creating a positive, though not optimal, effect on your happiness.
4. Guilty of 'personal calling'. I am doing something (consulting) that I always wanted to do. Is it what I desire to leave behind as my mark for mankind? No, probably not. Despite my answers here, I do firmly believe in the adage "No one, on their death bed, ever looks back and wishes they had spent more time at work". But, in today's society, its difficult to escape.
To further this debate, I'll share the one I have with my friend (he's a work-to-live person.) He doesn't like his job, and is all about planning what he'll do when he retires. To which I point out that if he liked his job more, and were therefore more motivated, he'd be doing better, getting promoted, making more money, and be more able to retire sooner. (I, on the other hand, can't reallly imagine fully retiring 'til much later, although a part-time gig combined with writing or teaching would be perfect). So, I'd like to add:
5. If you're a live-to-work, does this have a negative effect on your ability to participate in activities outside of work? If you're work-to-life, does this detract from your job success, thereby negatively impacting your outside activities?
Following this logic, it seems clear to me that some sort of balance is ideal. But I would add that those that seem to have this balance, and enjoy ultimate happiness, all seem to fall into the live-to-work category
1.)Does what you do for a living determine your ultimate happiness? Not really. I'd certainly be less happy than I am if I was stuck doing hard manual labor for a living, or if I couldn't make ends meet. as it is, My job has very little to do with my happiness.
2.)Could you have "optimal happiness" if your work life was bad but your personal(i.e.-home life) was good? Can you have the one without the other? That's what I have now.
I'm far happier with a boring dead end job and a great home life.
3.)Do you work to live or live to work? Work to live. I have hobbies that I enjoy, but work is just to pay the bills.
4.)Is work something you just "have to do" or do you view it as a personal calling that is meant to help you explore who you really are; and that it is ultimately what you desire to leave behind for mankind? For me, work is just something I have to do. I envy people who get a thrill doing their job.
I will say that I'm doing what I've always wanted to with my life, but that work is necessary to provide for that life.
2.)Could you have "optimal happiness" if your work life was bad but your personal(i.e.-home life) was good? Can you have the one without the other? That's what I have now.
I'm far happier with a boring dead end job and a great home life.3.)Do you work to live or live to work? Work to live. I have hobbies that I enjoy, but work is just to pay the bills.
4.)Is work something you just "have to do" or do you view it as a personal calling that is meant to help you explore who you really are; and that it is ultimately what you desire to leave behind for mankind? For me, work is just something I have to do. I envy people who get a thrill doing their job.
I will say that I'm doing what I've always wanted to with my life, but that work is necessary to provide for that life.
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