Currently sitting at home recovering from surgery and also be laid of from my position of 22 years with a large Multi-national company
The question that I suppose has been asked numerous times is why do you go to work.
I am asking that myself right now.
Previously, I was working because it was fun , there was social aspects to it, with the travel I could see things (when I got the chance) between trips that was culturally fun, etc and I could help other people within the company as well.
Also, any money that I got from that could go towards funding any toys that I bought for myself and helping out my parents as well.
I have asked this to numerous people since then why they work.
The answers that I get are:
They want to help other people
They are in debt and need to get out of debt for whatever reason
Recent immigrant who will do anything to make money/escape poverty
Working for their church/religion
Making a name for themselves or a legacy
To support their children or spouses or other family members
To learn new things
To support illicit habits (drugs, alcohol, etc)
Any others reasons that one can think of
What surprised me was the number of people who had put down #6 as their main reason
I think for some people too it just provides structure to their life and gives them something to do. Accomplishing your work goals makes you feel good especially when the fruit of your labor is something tangible you can look at with your eyes. Customer service jobs and cubicle work don’t seem as fulfilling to me.
Why are you surprised at the number of people go to work to support themselves and their families? It was the main reason I thought of when I read the title. It’s hard to support anybody without working.
There’s a bunch of woo out there about “finding yourself,” “finding your true passion,” “having an identity” blah blah blah through your job. It’s generally a bunch of nonsense in IMVHO. When you work, ultimately the only thing that matters is that you are making the person signing your paycheck happy - not yourself - otherwise you cease to receive paychecks from said person. All the aforementioned good things certainly can happen, but they are more of a byproduct.
Not everybody who works dreads going to their job. I’m sure most people enjoy their jobs as well as appreciate a steady paycheck. The two are not mutually exclusive. But when it comes down to it, ultimately all of us need to pay for a place to live, utilities such as water and electricity, and food to survive. None of those things are free.