5-2 assignment: first draft of critical analysis essay Carolyn Shea SNHU English 122 Bill Gamble 10-1-2023
Introduction Do we work our lives away? Barry Schwartz made a very compelling argument. In his thought-provoking article, he made key points about the modern employee whom is unhappy at work for most of their life. People want work that makes them happy and satisfied. He states that some people may even leave their high paying jobs for lower paying ones, to feel better than they did at the job they did not enjoy. Though people may not leave their jobs because of the cost of living, they may still be unfulfilled. This article was a good example of what we still see today. Thesis The articles main claim of the current work force being meaningless really grasps at the reality employees face today. We work our lives away at places we hate going to, just to pay bills that keep piling up, when we just want to be happy and fulfilled. When we are happy, we are more likely to get our work done. And when we get more of our work done, we may feel better about ourselves. Body As people, we care about more things than money. We want respect at work from everyone around us. Meaningful work makes life more enjoyable. But we have little to show for our efforts aside from our pay. We spend our lives working until retirement, and sometimes
beyond retirement for supplemental income. Some people work until the day they die. Barry uses examples of jobs that may be unsatisfying. Such as a call center employee who is monitored to end each call fast, an office worker who is watched for productivity, lawyers in white shoe firms, and doctors in "cushy" practices. (Schwartz Barry, page 1.) The author wants the audience to realize, if they do not already, that work should have a deeper sense of purpose. Barry used polls, studies, books, and opinions to prove his point. In my own words, I agree with his thoughts on money, becoming everything, when you make it revolve around everything. We should be able to embrace the type of work that we do. It seems that compensation is all that matters to anyone at work because you lose your aspirations due to routine work. Barry summarizes this by saying the offer of pay makes work a commercial transaction because it takes away the sense of civic duty. Employees should be given the chance to learn and grow, and to be listened to. The gallop polled employees globally to find out how satisfied they were with their jobs. About 90% of employees were disengaged from their jobs. That meant nine out of 10 employees. Most of us only work because we have no other choice. Barry also uses Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer's book "The Human Equation", as an example. The book contains many studies that prove Barry's point and validate his article. In his research he found "workplaces that