Why Do We Work?

Most of us spend most of our lives working in one way or another. Most of us also eagerly anticipate the times when we can stop working. When we get the chance, how many of us really stop altogether? What motivates us to work or not work, and our feelings about the work we do?

There is something more to work than material necessity. Doing work that you feel is meaningful and worthwhile tends to make you happier and healthier; doing work that you feel is pointless or shameful tends to lead to the opposite. The motivation to work for the sake of meaning is less obvious than for financial or material gain, but it may be just as potent. When thinking about the shape of society we want, it would be a mistake to think of work only in terms of the material gains it produces and delivers. Depriving people of meaning causes suffering just as surely as depriving them of food, shelter, medical care and comfort. Work will always be a vital part of human life, but work for work’s sake, even accompanied by all the material riches you can imagine, will never be enough. At the end of the day, what are we all really working for?

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Sources
‘The Selfish Gene’, ‘The Extended Phenotype’ and ‘The God Delusion’ by Richard Dawkins.

Credits
Written by Andrew Johnson and Jackson Winter

Spoken by Andrew Johnson
Edited by Jackson Winter

Yacht by Becca, Palace by monkik, Knit by Icons Bazaar, Game by Adrien Coquet, Paint by Gregor Cresnar, Mobile Phone by Iconnic and Human Evolution by Gan Khoon Lay from the Noun Project
All other graphics created by Jackson Winter

Music
Night Snow by Asher Fulero
1940's Slow Dance (Sting) by Doug Maxwell, Media Right Productions

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[RIP_Technoblade]

To what effect are we working so hard?


In short, to keep ourselves busy. We work to keep ourselves occupied because if we don’t, meaninglessness of our existance will catch up to us. Life, at the end of the day, does not have that much of a meaning. We are born into this world, not by our choice, in a place not chosen by us, in a family we may or may not like. Everything is completely random and arbitrary. And then we have to die. Even in that, we have little to no control. If we had enough time to think about it in our daily lives, we all would have gone insane by now. We need something. Something to keep us occupied, something to be worried about, something to complain about, something to hate, or if we are lucky, something to love and enjoy. That is why we have structured our society in such a way that we have to work in most days. We work not because we have to, we work because, if we don’t, reality will hit us hard. And we don’t, in no circumstances, want that.

[izabelaR]

I agree with this. Would have been a lot happier at 18 if I knew then what I wanted to do.

[mikehong]

I'm 72 Years Old-Uh!-YOUNG!&I Choose-To Keep Working!-Because The Work&People&The Great Foods-Keeps Me-Going&Being HAPPY&FREE!-Raymond "Mike" Hong!&(Someday-I'll Retire-But Not-NOW!-I

[eswnl]

It’s funny how even with all the technology, work hours have barely budged.

[sweetiemarura]

We work to keep ourselves busy out of depression

[elonmusksellssnakeoil]

Ask anyone what they would be doing with their time if they were wealthy and did not have to work, and you will get all kinds of answers of _work_ that people would do just because they enjoy it.

[Anonymous-mdqp]

Most people work because they are repaying loans/interest because they bought things they don’t need with money they don’t have.

[Reptanimalposts]

We're heading to a time where humanity will have a more layed back existence. Fruit of the labour's of our species.

[PinkYellowGreen]

I love working....its a good way to afford life. You can not truly be a responsible adult if you can not work consistently. But all the drama that comes with work is something I can do without.

[mobilehub]

People are stupid animals are smarter because they are FREE!

[BN-ffnw]

I wouldn't call it work to perform actions when they don't serve to sustain yourself. Billionaires, retirees and lottery winners may play, volunteer or pursue a hobby. But they don't work. A lottery winner can leave a job any time he wants to; a normal worker can't do that and that's what seperates a hobby from work: voluntariness. Sometimes, very rarely, what you want to do and what you have to do come together. But for the vast majority of people, that's not the case. They work to not die or suffer. They work because they're forced to work under the threat of poverty and death. That's all there is to work.

[rizmacadillac]

I worked hard in school so - hopefully - I could build on that work later on in life and keep increasing my income and happiness as well as build a family. But the University did not agree with me and I've never really been sure what they wanted. Maybe Professors simply wanted to keep me in school as long as possible so they could hire more professors. Of course when I do something and it goes wrong then I feel I have to adjust my goals and all, but I continue t work because I .. well, I'm not sure. Most people are ready by age 20 or 30 and they live their lives. I guess I feel a responsibility to myself and others to always do my best. I promised teachers and family when I was young that I would always do my best and so it is sort of a scout's honor and promise.

[ScrapRobot]

youtube is not work, i learned the hard way

[iknowyouvebeenwaiting]

Needs should be free. Yet we work for them for 60 years. Utter bullshit.

[edgarmorales]

Because the Ego (the guardian of individuality) itself possesses the electric momentum of Activity-Creativity and the emotional magnetic impulses of "Bonding-Rejection, " whatever is born of the "Ego-drive" by its thoughts, feelings and actions, is charged with physical electromagnetic life which will produce replica life forms and will be eventually materialized within the life of the Ego-creator.

These created forms not only manifest eventually as experiences but also disturb the functioning of the physical processes of their creator and are the origin of physical discomforts or viruses or diseases.

Therefore, is it a great cause for rejoicing when the soul emerges from its encapsulating human consciousness of the Ego (the guardian of individuality), for the ascending spiritual consciousness will create the harmonious life-giving conditions it holds in consciousness. Conversely, it is a cause for sorrow while the human consciousness is submerged in Ego control, producing upsets, trials and tribulations both in life experiences and the physical condition itself.

Therefore, I tell you: if you do not like the world, you have it within your power to change the "conditions of existence, " right where you are - if you have the faith and consistent will to do so.

I repeat in another form to gain your attention:

If you continue in your present level of human functioning and thought, you will only experience your present level of human existence.

You will be bound down to working hard for a paltry living, beset by numerous problems, such as poverty, ill-health, addictions, immobilized by prostrating fear and exposed to ill-intentioned attacks of all kinds.

You will be burdened by present conditions until you understand how to change them.

This is the golden opportunity to take control of your lives as never before, by getting control of your thoughts and emotions - the electrical and magnetic impulses - the blueprints of your future experiences.

For - you are like potters possessing clay and daily shaping pots and utensils for your use.

CONSCIOUSNESS is the clay - the substance with which you make your life - and every condition pertaining to it. You, alone, shape your life into the forms you experience.

By your thoughts, you can change your personal future - if you will but accept the Christ Letters, A Course In Miracles and A Course Of Love.

You can affect your environment, your homes, families, work, the people you associate with, and even plants, animals and climate.

Whatever you hold steadfastly in mind externalizes.

[ImAlwaysRightjustaskgoogle]

I no longer have to work, i havent had to work for the past 8 and yet i keep working

[renzcruzmabalatan]

I AM HERE BECAUSE I AM BURNOUT. I GAIN INSPIRATION BY TEACHING .IT'S JUST THAT DOING PAPERWORKS REPETITIVELY IS TOO MUCH AND LACLS MEANING SO I STRUGGLE TO START EVEN THOUGH THE DUE IS IN TWO DAYS.

I WILL COME BACK HERE ONCE I'M DONE😢

[makotoeva]

That's why I just work, no need to spend more time at work, spend my time, most of the times alone and I do whatever I want, and usually is getting high, playing videogames and playing bass, drums, rock and roll, heavy metal, punk. This reality sucks.

[TacticalCaveman]

if we didn't have such bad spending habits and only bought what we truly needed. We would have to work so much.