Text a. Why We Work

You have now seen that working affects your total lifestyle and that almost all of us can expect most of our adult lives working. Why do people work? Basically they work for three reasons:

1. Money (economic) to provide for physical needs.

2. Contact with people (social) for the feeling of loving or belonging.

3. Self-esteem (psychological) for self-respect and pride.

If you were asked the question, “Why do you want to work?”, your first answer might well be, “For money!” This indeed is a good reason. Based on the cost of living today and the outlook for the future, you will need at least half a million dollars to pay for the goods and services you will purchase during your life and well-being. These necessities include such goods as food, clothing and shelter (housing). Some services are also necessary. These include medical attention and education. An automobile is also a necessity if you must have one to get to work or to the places.

None of us is satisfied with only being able to purchase the goods and services which are necessary. Our wants exceed our needs. Whatever you desire in addition to the necessities of life is called a luxury. Of course a necessity to one person may be a luxury to another. Money is only one reason for working. There are other important ones.

People need contact with other, although the amount of contact they need varies greatly from one person to another. One of the most hated forms of punishment in to be placed “in solitary”. People are gregarious. They do not like to be alone. It is difficult to imagine a happy person without even one friend or at least someone with whom to talk. Work provides opportunities for contact with other people. You will find that your place of work will be a source of social contacts and possibly one or two close friends.

The famous social psychologist Dr. A.H.Maslow, has identified the basic needs of all human beings. His list begins with the most

basic needs – life, food, and water. After these needs are met, we become concerned about safety. Early man found shelter from the heat, cold, wind, and rain by living in caves or cliffs, or by building crude houses in trees. This protection also provided shelter from dangerous animals. Today people live in homes and apartments which provide protection from the elements.

Once safety needs are met, we look for companionship and affection. Finally when all these needs have been met, we seek status with others. This is known as self-esteem. It means that you feel good about yourself. Your outlook on life (your satisfaction with life) depends to a large extent upon how you feel about your work. The importance of work is not the same for everyone. Some think work is important only because it provides the money to enjoy some leisure-time activity. To others, it is indeed a way of life!

How successful you are in life is largely measured by your success in your work. Being successful on a job which interests you helps you to develop a sense of pride. It gives you self-respect. Very often, those who are most interested in and successful in their careers are the people who are most satisfied with life. Job success is the chief way we measure our own usefulness, our worth. Naturally, this has a great effect upon one’s personality. Without self-respect, you cannot accept yourself as a worthy person, you cannot accept others as worthy people and be truly concerned about them.

As you can see, you receive many benefits from working. However, you will not receive all this unless you give something. What you receive from working depends directly upon what you give to your work.

Notes to the text:

hated – ненавистный

cost of living – прожиточный минимум

amount – сумма

whatever – всё что; что бы ни

(an emphatic from of “what”)