America The Delusional - Land of Sex and Work

[The_Adventurer]

Some quotes from the article in Raw Story:

"This is pretty much a case of do as I say and not as I (pretend to) do, considering that a 2006 Guttmacher Institute survey found 95 percent of Americans have had premarital sex. It should be noted that this is not a sudden new development. The study indicates that “even among women who were born in the 1940s, nearly nine in 10 had sex before marriage.” "

"The notion of hard work as a primary predictor of life success—another Protestant hand-me-down—remains big with Americans. Seventy-three percent of U.S. denizens polled by Pew in 2014 agreed that “hard work is very important for getting ahead in life,” a statement only 35 percent of Europeans overall agreed with. While no one’s denying that hard work contributes to doing well, the American version of this idea—a Horatio Algerian fantasy that involves strapping on your proverbial boots and climbing corporate and class ladders—is both naive and empirically, factually and statistically wrong. "

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/america ... rld-study/

[jamesbond]

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/america ... rld-study/

Good article, maybe working yourself to death just to get ahead isn't such a good idea after all. A lot of us have had the "protestant work ethic" shoved down our throats by our parents. I know I have and I am not even protestant!

Like it says in the article, we are prudes in America. We don't mind violence in movies and TV shows but god forbid a woman shows her breasts! Look what happened with Janet Jackson in the 2004 Superbowl.

[The_Adventurer]

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/america ... rld-study/

Good article, maybe working yourself to death just to get ahead isn't such a good idea after all. A lot of us have had the "protestant work ethic" shoved down our throats by our parents. I know I have and I am not even protestant!

Like it says in the article, we are prudes in America. We don't mind violence in movies and TV shows but god forbid a woman shows her breasts! Look what happened with Janet Jackson in the 2004 Superbowl.

I must admit I had no idea such polls and studies were done, especially about work and success,and the different attitudes towards these in USA versus Europe and Asia etc. I have nothing against "hard work" when following a passion or dream, but I am seriously starting to rethink my ideas on hard work in general, especially without purpose beyond money.

It makes sense really. Who works harder than people in sweat shops? (or 3rd world ship yards) They never get anywhere in life.

[gnosis]

I must admit I had no idea such polls and studies were done, especially about work and success,and the different attitudes towards these in USA versus Europe and Asia etc. I have nothing against "hard work" when following a passion or dream, but I am seriously starting to rethink my ideas on hard work in general, especially without purpose beyond money.

Can you explain in more detail why your thinking on the importance of hard work has changed? I know you are (or at least were) a really hard worker based on what you've posted over time.

[Ghost]

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[The_Adventurer]

I must admit I had no idea such polls and studies were done, especially about work and success,and the different attitudes towards these in USA versus Europe and Asia etc. I have nothing against "hard work" when following a passion or dream, but I am seriously starting to rethink my ideas on hard work in general, especially without purpose beyond money.

Can you explain in more detail why your thinking on the importance of hard work has changed? I know you are (or at least were) a really hard worker based on what you've posted over time.

I wouldn't apply this to people who want to create things. If someone wants to work 14 hours per day to write their book, make their movie, draw their comic, or build their dream in whatever way, I am all for that and applaud them.

Too many times in the past, however, I have worked far too hard for the enrichment of someone else and at the expense of my own dreams. I assumed that by going to extra mile, those above me would see my good work and advance me. Sometimes it happened, but it was all made meaningless when the company was bought out by some faceless corporation and everyone was laid off. All those "extra mile" hours could have been spent creating something for myself.

Most of us know they don't work very hard in France. Some of the companies I connect with they seem to barely work 5 hours per day. They still have a good lifestyle there, though, and are far from 3rd world. What makes the difference? All these Japanese salary men who work insane hours, regardless of what industry they are in, have they gained anything over France?

The figures provided by that article, both about social mobility and how many people even believe in the value of hard work outside of USA, are pretty sobering.

I guess it makes me think a little more like this: If you're going to work hard, make sure it is on something you truly believe in and would be happy to have done even if you never made a dime off of it.

[Eric]

Go into business for yourself - The American Dream.