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From: ehenjum@udenva.UUCP (Jack Lindsey)
Newsgroups: net.social
Subject: Work Ethic
Message-ID: <686@udenva.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-May-85 14:35:40 EDT
Article-I.D.: udenva.686
Posted: Tue May 21 14:35:40 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 24-May-85 21:06:02 EDT
Reply-To: ehenjum@udenva.UUCP (Jack Lindsey)
Distribution: net
Organization: University of Denver -- Penrose Library
Lines: 56
Keywords: working, jobs



Recently, the following quote was taped up by the time cards in my
department:

          "The worker ... feels himself at home only during his
           leisure time, whereas at work he feels homeless.  His
           work is not voluntary but imposed, 'forced labour'.
           It is not the satisfaction of a need, but only a 'means'
           for satisfying other needs.  Its alien character is 
           clearly shown by the fact that as soon as there is no
           physical or other compulsion it is avoided like the
           plague."
                                Marx, 'Early Writings'

Understanding that the posting was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, it
points to the fact that many people I have spoken with are
dissatisfied with their jobs, and tend to do the *minimum* required to
keep from being fired, taking the attitude that creativity and
initiative are not attributes which are rewarded in the workplace.

The attitude that work is *only* a "means for satisfying other needs"
does not seem to be unique to a particular industry or salary level,
and, taking the converse, people I have met who find an inherent
*satisfaction* in working do not fall into any particular occupational
or wage category.

I am posting this to net.social, in spite of the reference to Marx,
because I view it as more of a social than a political issue.  Is work
something that we must simply tolerate in order to make the $$ to buy
that VCR and keep groceries in the 'fridge, or are the $$ only part of
the reason for working?  Most of us spend 40+ hours/week at this
activity, so perhaps a fuller understanding of why we are doing it is
worth seeking.

I am reminded of that old story of the young man who went to the Wells
Fargo office and asked if he could drive a team.  The drivers agreed to
take the young man along with them and see how he did.  After several
trips riding shotgun, and several trips driving under supervision, the 
young man had proved himself to be a competent hand.  The young man
was ecstatic when the local agent told him he could have a job and
drive the teams unassisted.  The agent told the young man that he
would pay him five dollars a week for the job, to which the young man
replied in astonishment, "You mean people get PAID to do this?"

Comments?



-- 
-- 
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Jack Lindsey   University of Denver
UUCP ONLY: {hplabs, seismo}!hao!udenva!ehenjum
or {boulder, cires, denelcor, ucbvax!nbires, cisden}!udenva!ehenjum
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