Here’s a story that’ll likely be familiar: At some point at work, you’ve probably found yourself unbelievably frustrated. For whatever reason, you can’t make any progress—maybe you’re re-doing the same job for the fifth time or dealing with some new tech that you can’t understand. Sick of all this, you said to yourself, “Why am I even doing this?”
That frustration might just be towards a particular thing. But it reaches at a deeper question: Why do we even do this? What’s the point of work in general?
It’s hard to speak about the point of work when so much of that is particular to a person’s circumstances. But perhaps we can find some general ideas here to apply to our own situations. Let’s try to learn just what work is and why we do it.
What Do We Need to Know About Work?
Our goal here isn’t to draw out an economic definition of work. Although there is certainly a link between these theories of labor and production and the everyday experience of work, it seems that a better approach for our purposes should begin at an individual level. An economic view is necessarily systemic and overarching. It’s hard to see individuals looking at everything from a bird’s-eye view.
Instead, it seems that what we want to ask is simply what work represents for an individual person. Why do we work? What do we consider work to be? How does it relate to other parts of our life? How does it relate to what we are?
Let’s begin with the first two questions: What is work, and why do we work? These might have linked answers: If we can understand what sorts of good things are present in work, then we can understand just what we are pursuing when we choose to work.
The Reasons to Work
There are a few simple reasons to work. The most obvious is simply to support yourself. This is simply a fact of human existence: Hunter-gatherers had to find food to feed themselves, farmers had to keep the harvest going, and now we have to participate in work in our broader and more specialized economy to earn money.
Other types of work seem to follow a similar logic. Someone who is repairing their windows is working to keep their house protected from the outdoors. A student who is writing an essay is working to achieve a good grade. In all these cases, work is done to achieve a particular thing afterwards.
For a broad definition, it seems that work is simply something done to bring about something else. We work because there’s something we hope to accomplish by working. If you’re digging a hole to build a drain, that’s obviously an example of work. You’re not just digging the hole for the sake of digging the hole—it’s clearly directed towards a different end.
Work and Leisure
This contrasts with leisurely things that are done for their own sake. Typically, you don’t sit on the porch and appreciate the fresh air for a particular reason. We’ve likely all met the sort of person who wants all these little things to be useful—the sort of person who tries to figure out exactly how long they should nap to be perfectly rested, or calculates the exact minimum amount of time they can take a break for to maximize productivity.
Some would argue that these leisurely activities are actually done for the sake of something else—namely, something like fun or happiness. This, however, is a misinterpretation of what makes these things good. In these cases, the good thing that occurs because of an activity isn’t separate from the activity itself. Bowling and the fun gained from bowling aren’t two separate things—it’s not as though you get a certain amount of fun at the end to reward the time you invested. There’s no “end goal” in mind.
The End Goal of Work
Instead, in the case of work, the good that is brought about by it is separate from it and comes afterwards. The good thing brought about by digging a drain is that your house won’t flood. This can only happen after the drain has been dug. Though there might be some things in the act of digging that are good—exercise or the sense of hard work—it’s clear that this is not the real motivator here.
By this definition, we can call so many things “work” beyond our jobs. Things like chores and cooking are all sorts of work that are hard to avoid. A life without work is nearly unthinkable.
The Internal Goods of Work
This is not to say that there is no good found in work itself. Something like cooking may seem like a clear example of work. But it’s clear that many people find cooking to be something worthwhile in itself, something that can be done for its own sake. For many, it might be easier or faster not to cook, but there is something worthwhile in this activity that brings them back.
Beyond that, work is often a way to grow in virtue. No doubt we have to grow in patience and humility at work—if you say your job has never been frustrating or that you’ve never failed, chances are you’re forgetting something. But beyond this frustration, there are many positive opportunities for growth: Discipline, dedication, wisdom, kindness, and so many more virtues are all rewarded by good work.
Work, then, still has rewards on its own. Some people might find physical labor rewarding, or others might enjoy data analysis or anything along those lines. Although work isn’t done merely for its own sake, there is still something in it that’s worthwhile.
Motivation to Work
These rewards might be the “innate” reasons for work. What are the other reasons for work? What are the goals that we’re trying to bring about? Naturally, the most common reason to do work is to earn money. We work to get ourselves the things we need—that is as basic a reason as there is.
This is not the only reason to do work, of course. There are times when we work to bring about something for no reward. Something like charity work is a prime example. We could also think of an artist working to make a piece for no reward. Ultimately, that passion for the work is the motivator. Still, it’s clear that this is done for a firm end: There is an obvious direction that leisure doesn’t seem to have.
Ideally, work should have a mix of these innate and external reasons. It’s important that work allow us to bring about these good things like comfort and security, but that shouldn’t mean that you find nothing worthwhile in work itself. Work should suit your temperament. It shouldn’t be painful or impossible to go to work—if that’s the case, something needs to change.
The Dignity of Work
This should not seem disrespectful of work, either. Many today argue that hard work is good for its own sake. Someone who works hard is doing the right thing, regardless of what it is they’re working at. This sort of philosophy might seem like a way to honor work, but really, it’s simply reducing it to something far less than what it is. It’s ignoring what makes work worthwhile. Work does not have to be a destination on its own: It is a path to something greater.
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