Crystal Pinho – Terkel
In Working, Studs Terkel argues that our concept of “work ethic” needs to be extracted from our daily banal nationalistic approach in order to sustain life. Those with the means feed on the working class. The separation of class is clearly noted by education, income, and authority. Those who lack the level of education needed are a greater disadvantage when it comes to networking, opportunities, respect and a status of prestige.
The insight given on Mike Lefevre dictates what Terkel is trying to say about work and “human matters”. Mike works as a laborer, a small part of a grander scaled conveyor belt-like system. He notes that his work serves as a means to ends. It does not satisfy him in the sense of wanting to wake up and do it again. He expresses the need of creditability for his hard labored work. Constructing things with his hands could potentially bring him joy. In a perfect world, everyone could be accountable for themselves and productive. With proper notability even if their work is part of a larger picture. Future work is foreseen by a wave of technology. If you can’t improve yourself, improve your children. He feels the notion of his work is to preserve the future of his kid. He wants his son to be a person who gets the credit, not the small guy that builds the credit for the boss.
Terkel gives the perspective of another worker who gave up his net of stability to pursue his own happiness. In this case, he’s an older man who chooses not to blindly accept the work given, and realized he should do work that he would enjoy. With this new reality in focus, he knew there was no going back. The author suggests this as the ultimate realization and outlook one should acquire, in return, the work will find you. No longer will we have to look for jobs, but just something that consumes our minds and sprouts financial stability.
Personally, this is how I feel towards my education and professional life. I strategically map things out based on my end goal. In my opinion, these paths need to be determined with the wave technology. I never took any joy as being part of a conveyer built; all that mattered was the compensation. It is very much so a means to an ends in my case as well. Which explains why I’m at CWE continuing my education to obtain “happiness”.
