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Question: What is the purpose of working or holding down a job!?
I've heard some people assert that we work to provide what we as individuals or as families need!. But I wonder if there are not other reasons for secular work!. Then again, maybe there is no one purpose for working, but a variety of purposes!. Or what if the only purpose for working is the purpose that each individual attributes to his/her work!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
#1- to put food on the table & a roof over your head!.!.!.
#2- to pay for all those little extras!.!.!. ie: table, plates , fridge(for the food, ) walls & flooring,( to go with the roof,) maybe a yard!? internet, computer, electricity, cable, phone, heat, etc!. (I'm sure you can think of a couple perks that aren't free!.!.!.coffee!? beer!?)
#3- to pay taxes
#4- to keep people out of trouble (too busy to be bored)
#5- something to talk/complain about
#6- to give us something to get up in the morning for, so we don't have to do all those other things!.!.!.ie: clean the house, laundry etc!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Your question is in large part a "Class" question!. For the most part those people who live and work on a subsistence level are much more dependent on their paychecks!. For those people the main purpose for work is to be able to put food on the table!. Once a person achieves a position in society where he can afford "Leisure" time the philosophy changes!. For those people work is no longer as necessary to sustain life (food on the table) and then the vanity question rears its ugly head!. Now we start seeing people who want more toys then others!. (Note the bumper sticker: He who dies with the most toys wins!.) At the same time and at this level we begin to see people who find themselves relying on their work to define themselves!. For some reason these people have so little self worth/confidence that they are no longer Mr Smith, but rather Mr!. Smith - Attorney (These people log a huge increase in the suicide rate when they lose their jobs!.) because they "Are" their "Profession"!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The purpose of working or holding a job is the way humans live in this day and age to survive!. We could just be living like long time ago when we lived for survival by hunting, farming and shelter!. Its not like this anymore, the more we advance the more complicated life gets and the more we rely on holding a job to survive!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Our work produces useful things (or helps others to), so that we may live what we believe is a good quality of life!.
That's ideally, anyway!.
There are a lot of jobs that don't produce anything or increase quality of life (except for a meagre paycheck)!.

I like that last idea, about the purpose being what the worker makes it!. (Not that it changes a situation where workers are exploited for someone else's purposes)Www@QuestionHome@Com

The only reason we work is to attain money!.
Think about it!.
If you were truely happy in your job would you still do it if you weren't getting paid!?
If no one needed money, chances are authors would still write, it would merely become a hobby!.
Would that kid who works at McD's still be flippin' patties!? Chances are, no!.
I think some people work beause they truely love what they do and the money is just an added bonus but I don't believe that is true for most people!.
The only reason we have jobs is to make money and keep people in order!.
If no one had to work, the world would be in chaos!. There would be no police officers catching the bad guys!. People would be dieing in the streets because there are no doctors!. It would become survival of the fittest!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

To feel self sufficient most people feel like they need to be doing something and feel useful or they start to go crazy and to make money (if you don't already have it) if you haven't noticed it costs money to live!. Depends on your job!.!.!. just to advance in general as a society!. Every little bit helps even those burger king workers!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

We work because we are slaves to the system, unless we do a job of work which fulfils us or we have a passion for, otherwise we have to work doing whatever to put a roof over our heads and eat!.

To survive!.
To please society!.
To have choices, choices are determined by how much money we have, or can obtain!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Many times we are judged by the work we do and not the work we can do!. But we have to work in order for the world to run in the way it has for so many years!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't know,but im sick of work!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

So eveyone else can have your money, Right!?Www@QuestionHome@Com