The Meaning of Work

Abstract

When we are children, we frequently get asked the question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ And full of the idealism of youth, we eagerly reply that we are going be an astronaut, a fashion model, a footballer, or maybe a computer games designer. Years later, when we are adults, the question is rephrased to, ‘What do you do?’ We mutter that we are in insurance, or work on the check-out at the local supermarket, or maybe we’re employed in the local benefits office. Moreover, a large number of people are having to say they are unemployed, or have taken early retirement.