Is The Work Ethic Dead?

Originally posted by Benarius
reply to post by cancerian42

 

If you and k-string are both woman, I'll find us a peaceful spot. My work-ethics just doubled, I think....

I'm not a woman, but certainly would not mind the help of a fellow adventurer. Your post reminds me of the lives of two amazing people who grew *every scrap* of food they ate, built their own home, and kept themselves warm all for only 4 hours of sustenance labor per day. The rest of their day was devoted to creative efforts such as music and writing!

Read about them on wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org...

And I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend their book, called The Good Life. They describe step by step how they made their garden, compost, how they stored their food to last through the winter, how they built their stone structures, everything.

They lived to a ripe old age without drugs, doctors, or processed foods which they believe cause us to get sick in the first place. They believed that nutrition and good old exercise were vastly more important than most of us could imagine. They never got sick, even once.

They were very open about the way they lived, allowing interested visitors to stay with them and learn about how they lived. Eventually, they had such a big stream of interested visitors that they had to move!

They started all over in a different spot, making an entire homestead from scartch again. I just can't get over it.

That is definitely the life I want to live! I hope maybe someone will read the book and decide they want to live that life as well and join me! I would love to hear from interested people, just pm me.

I do have some objections though, for example, I object to having to raise the necessary capital to pay for private land to be able to do this. It would be pretty hypocritical of me to play by the system when I don't even think land should be owned. Also, having to pay property tax sits wrong with me, especially since I wouldn't be using any government services...

reply to post by k-string


If everyone did this then the world would just sotp, no more science, no more medical advances and no more anything. Human beings would revert to tribal warfare and you'd regret your words.

Originally posted by ImaginaryReality1984
Am i alone in thinking that the work ethic of modern society has died? When i started work i hated my first job, but i still did it to the best of my ability, this lead to promotion, i worked above and beyond what was needed. I took absolute pride in doing whatever job i had to the best standard so i could feel pride in what i did.

So i have to ask, has the work ethic died? Has the modern workforce given up on the idea of doing their best? I think most people try to coast in their jobs and then complain when they don't get anywhere. I'm very tired of these people. They do the absolute minimum, they relax and mess around. I know many peopel may think they're doing the best they can, but quite honestly this often isn't the truth.

I think this also is sent out at the jobless. I know some people are unlucky and get made redundant in this unfortunate time. However some choose to be jobless because they cannot be bothered to work. It seems we have an age of entitlement, people who think they can do nothing and get everything.

Does anyone else think this?

[edit on 29-10-2008 by ImaginaryReality1984]

I'm an Operations Manager for a large retail company...and oh my god...finding quality workers is SO HARD. Teenagers don't care about their jobs, college kids always think they can do better (even though they always come crawling back because their degree got them no-where), and people who we pay top dollar for STILL slack. It's really frustrating and depressing.

I'm 21, and have been working hard since I was 15. I was a manager at a restaurant when I was 17 because all I ever did was work my butt off. I went to a respectable college and now I'm making really good money...but it's not my education. It's my work experience. I feel that a lot of young people are missing out on this aspect because they don't care.

Very dissapointing.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984


I sincerely doubt this. Maybe the government funding will end, but then money wouldn't even be an issue.

Originally posted by ImaginaryReality1984
reply to post by k-string

 

If everyone did this then the world would just sotp, no more science, no more medical advances and no more anything. Human beings would revert to tribal warfare and you'd regret your words.

Fortunately, not everyone chooses to live the same way. If you want to work for company ABC making XYZ widgets by standing in the same spot doing the same thing for hours at a time with no break to even urinate, you may do so.

If that is what is required for science and medical advances, then I am glad to remove my support for such a ghastly way of life. I would rather live the good life for 20 years and die of cancer than live the widget life, be cured of cancer, and live as a shell of my potential self for 80 years.

Besides, I think your claim that the world would stop, science wouldn't progress, and humans would 'revert' to tribal warfare to be presumptuous. The biggest scientific breakthroughs throughout history have NOT come as a result of people in widget factories and research labs slaving away for their bosses. The breakthroughs have come from enthusiasts who personally sacrificed a lot of things to be able to carry on their research—because they wanted to. When you only work four hours a day (and for yourself, I might add), that tends to allow one more time to pursue his fascinations.

If tribal warfare is not what we have right now, then I don't know what is. So I fail to understand how it could be any worse.

reply to post by Malzypants


First of all I need to say that I seem to forget that a lot of people here are much younger than myself. Much much younger. It is good to see that some of the youth of today have the perfect attitude for a successful career. You my friend amaze me. With your age of 21, you have quite a work history and so much experience. I am sure you also let everybody know whom you employ. How you manage to motivate them riddles me. Could it be it's not the work they do? Maybe it's who they do it for? With all the experience and work-ethics you aquired, I am sure you have the perfect answer. Maybe some experience in Human Resource Management could be the answer. And maybe just being friendly. When was the last time you looked in the mirror and smiled at yourself. Taking yourself too seriuos at this age will one day make you very unlovable. I don't wanna pray, take it as a good advice. Thats all I can give at my age.

reply to post by k-string


Great post again.

I can certainly see the work ethic being dead, from my experience. I like the OP, do my little job the best I can. I work at a snack shop, and the members expect that. I take pride in the compliments I receive. I love my job, and am a positive thinker, it helps in the workplace. I do my job over and above what is needed. I was surprised when we had our storm a while back, that only a handful of us showed up, in the dark, to clean rotting food out of the kitchen. I was the only girl who did show, and it was nasty, but I couldnt not go and help.

I hate a workplace complainer, especially now in this economy. What a drag to hear I hate this stuff, or your coworker constantly calls in, or slacks. This makes me very upset! I dont want to do everyone else's job, just my own and do it well. I have no problem helping out, and find it fun to do cakes and desserts in addition to my regular job. BUT, I try to avoid negative stuff at work, and hope I can bring something nice to someone else's day. I mean, you gotta work, so why not do your best and be pleasant about it?

Good topic, I do think work ethic needs to be emphasized more by parents. My kids do chores, but my teen needs to get a job and start learning about this stuff. I did not, and it hurt me considerably now at this age. And in our economy, if I were a boss I would get rid of Debbie Downers.

[edit on 29-10-2008 by hotbakedtater]

reply to post by k-string


My reply to your great post wil have to wait till tomorrow. I overdid it for today already. Have a lot to say about this from my own experience.
Good night.

I do just what is expected of me at my job and never bother to go above and beyond and all that BS only because nobody even notices when you work harder, you don't gain anything extra and im not working myself into the ground just so I can retire with extra health problems, and besides my money is worth less and less every week.

A Russian saying will get my point across:

"You pretend to pay me, so I pretend to work"

Minimum wage = minimum effort

Exactly, If you paid £100 for a car you wouldent expect it to run like a Ferrari, If you pay sombody the absolute minimum so they can just barly get by in life don't expexct them to do the work of 3 people.

I know people who are nolonger human, they'r mearly obedient little worker robots working 9 to 5 or even longer 6 days a week, they just work and sleep and that's no life at all.

[edit on 30-10-2008 by NeoSpace]

reply to post by k-string


Love all your posts in here.
I remember watching a movie or show called The Wilderness Family when I was a kid. I always wanted to be like them. Too bad we lose sight of the things that we want as children.

I also wanted to be an FBI Agent like Mulder

The industrial revolution killed the ability for people to be self employed, and destroyed the sense of pride and fulfillment that one receives by producing an appreciated product or service. ....Corporations have made things worse by not focusing on quality products and services, but instead high profit margins from the lowest quality products and services..... If we are to end up in a situation where money is a no longer viable tender for goods and services, and people are forced to survive by utilizing long forgotten skills, it would be a blessing for those that haven't lost their work sin ethics. They would take control of their lives, by bartering what they can provide to others that can do likewise....Those that can't, or won't, will either develop marketable skills, or resign themselves to being non producers and suffer the consequences, and be cast aside.

I can sympathise with the OP, I have my own business too.
I took on someone from college part time and paid above the minimum wage with the chance of a pay rise after 3 months.
All they did was moan and do the job wrong.
They did it wrong because they couldn't... couldn't be bothered.
What they did that was wrong could have resulted in a prosecution for myself and my customers!
They left and I just work the extra hours myself because at least I know the job is done right.

There was a programme on TV in the UK about Polish workers in the UK.

The Poles are Coming!

The host went to the job centre and spoke to some young people about jobs which were available on a farm that Polish people were doing, but they didn't want to do the work.

Have you ever considered the nature of the work isn't compatible with the human spirit? I'd grumble all day too if I were confined to a box, forced to greet customers with fake congeniality. Everything about it is fake and some people won't put up with it.

I posit that your college friend, under non-soul-crushing circumstances, might very well have a strong work ethic.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984


to take a quote from pulp fiction "thats just pride f#cking with your head", i have given this subject a great deal of thought, i have worked my fingers to the bone and been taxed hard, i buy a house i get taxed hard, i buy anything and i get taxed hard. i work hard, never see the kids, just about pay the bills, my friend however does not work, he stays at home with his kids/family has all his bills paid by the goverment and gets money in the pocket, who's the fool?, is pride so important that we will sacrifice ourselves for our whole life rather than be called lazy, i get confused why we all do it, an old english saying "you work to live, not live to work"

Is the work ethic dead? We work far more hours than most European countries. Many laugh at our 40-hour work weeks and our short vacation times.

In fact, it is recommended for most smart business men to know the area they are traveling to. Most countries in Asia pride themselves on hard work and long hours, so it is fine to expect that there. However, most other countries don't operate that way. They have shorter work weeks and more vacation time (especially in Europe as previously mentioned).

No, most of America works our butts off for far less pay than we deserve. In fact, we work too damn hard and receive too little. Some countries have it worse, but we need to become the example setters and stay ahead of the curve.

reply to post by Sublime620


I suppose i was talking mre about people my own age who seem less than willing o get off their arses and prefer to sit on benefits.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984


Not sure what your age is, but I wouldn't be too bothered by it. I assume by your age you mean somewhere from 16-25. That's still pretty young and most of them still have lots of time to realize they are wasting their lives and get working.

It took me until I was 21 to realize that there is more to life than just having fun all day. And I think if you went back into history, you'd find that is normal. If anything, the age that people get that kick in the butt might be a little later now.

[edit on 31-10-2008 by Sublime620]