Paper #4

What For? How Come? Why?

	We work for the money. We work to support ourselves. We work to contribute to our family. We work to escape the reality surrounding us. We work because that is what we are supposed to do when we grow up. We work to make dreams come true. We work to be happy. All of these statements have been said over generations of workers regarding why they work.  Some answers are more superficial, while other answers are more concerned with his or her own future and his or her own family. Despite the variety of answers to the simple question: why does one work, the majority of answers have many commonalities with each other. People, including myself, work in order to fulfill the typical illustration of the American Dream, which consists of independence, happiness, and family. 
	Dependence on other people, mostly one’s parents, ends after the first few years of life.  Year after year, children grow more independent from their parents.  Wanting to do and go where he or she pleases, are just a few of the demands as to why children want to become independent from their parents.  Although many aspects such as decisions can be made without the assistance from parents, the financial aspect for children cannot be independent until he or she has a job and a reliable income.  For example, when I did not have a job, I would have to rely on my parents for buying items for me, for giving me money to do recreational activities such as going to the movies, and for buying gifts for others.  My parents decided how much I was allowed to spend and how many movies I was allowed to go to, for instance.  In retrospect, they could control all my activities that required money.  As soon as I got a job, I was able to support myself without asking my parents for money.  I buy my own clothes, I buy my own tickets to movies, and I buy my own gifts for others. 
	The second commonality for reasons on which someone works is happiness.  Presently, I am working to fulfill my own American Dream.  By working, I have been able to contribute to my schooling in order to carry out my dream of becoming a speech-pathologist.  Because this is my goal, I know I will be happy as soon as I begin my journey to becoming a successful speech-pathologist. Unfortunately, some people work at a job that is not what he or she wishes to do because there is an urgency to support themselves and his or her family or there are other reasons for not having an enjoyable job.  In spite of these exceptions, the majority of people work at a job that is fulfilling to them, that he or she takes pleasure in, and that he or she excels at. 
	Finally, the third reason why most people work is in order to support one’s own family.   Eventually, I want to have a family and be able to support them.  I want them to live in an area that is safe and full of opportunities.  I want them to not have to worry about financial problems and to be happy.  As we grow older, I believe, that our reasons for working changes from wanting success for ourselves to being able to support and provide for our family.  In doing so, we avert our focus to assisting our children in their own American Dream that they have made for themselves.  We realize that in order for our children to survive, parents need to work so that they can buy the basic necessities for survival.  Sometimes, this becomes the sole reason why people work and why they work so diligently.  
	To sum up, people work for many different reasons.  To some, some reasons are more self-fish and others are more selfless.  Despite all the reasons one may have on why one works, most will agree that he or she works to gain independence, happiness, and the ability to support and have his or her own family.  My family and I work to fulfill dreams, provide for each other, and we work now for all the unknowns that may come along in the future such as lay-offs, and transfers.  Why do you work?