大學英語4精讀 Unit 10 課文 WHY PEOPLE WORK

Unit10TextDoyouviewworkasaburdenoranopportunity?Areyouthekindofpersonwholooksforwaystosaveyourenergyorthekindthatfindsspendingyourenergysatisfying?Whydopeopleliketocomplainaboutwork?Findtheanswerstoquestionliketheseinthefollowingessay.WHYPEOPLEWORKLeonardR.SaylesJobsandworkdomuchmorethanmostofusrealizetoprovidehappinessandcontentment.We'reallusedtothinkingthatworkprovidesthematerialthingsoflife--thegoodsandservicesthatmakepossibleourmoderncivilization.Butwearemuchlessconsciousoftheextenttowhichworkprovidesthemoreintangible,butmorecrucial,psychologicalwell-beingthatcanmakethedifferencebetweenafullandanemptylife.Historically,workhasbeenassociatedwithslaveryandsinandpunishment.Andinourowndayweareusedtohearingthetraditionalcomplaints:"Ican'twaitformyvacation,""IwishIcouldstayhometoday,""Mybosstreatsmepoorly,""I'vegottoomuchworktodoandnotenoughtimetodoit."Againstthisbackground,itmaywellcomeasasurprisetolearnthatnotonlypsychologistsbutotherbehavioralscientistshavecometoacceptthepositivecontributionofworktotheindividual'shappinessandsenseofpersonalachievement.Workismorethananecessityformosthumanbeings;itisthefocusoftheirlives,thesourceoftheiridentityandcreativity.Ratherthanapunishmentoraburden,workistheopportunitytorealizeone'spotential.Manypsychiatristsheadingmentalhealthclinicshaveobserveditshealingeffect.Agoodmanypatientswhofeeldepressedinclinicsgainrenewedself-confidencewhengainfullyemployedandlosesome,ifnotall,oftheirmostacutesymptoms.Increasingly,institutionsdealingwithmentalhealthproblemsareestablishingworkshopswhereinthosetoosicktogetajobin"outside"industrycanwork,whileeveryeffortisexertedtoarrange"real"jobsforthosewellenoughtoworkoutside.Andthereverseistrue,too.Forlargenumbersofpeople,theabsenceofworkisharmfultotheirhealth.Retirementoftenbringsmanyproblemssurroundingthe"WhatdoIdowithmyself?"question,eventhoughtheremaybenofinancialcares.Largenumbersofpeopleregularlygetheadachesandotherillnessesonweekendswhentheydon'thavetheirjobstogoto,andmustfendforthemselves.Ithasbeenobservedthatunemployment,quiteasidefromexertingfinancialpressures,bringsenormouspsychologicaltroublesandthatmanyindividualsdeterioraterapidlywhenjobless.Butwhy?Whyshouldworkbesuchasignificantsourceofhumansatisfaction?Agoodshareoftheanswerrestsinthekindofpridethatisstimulatedbythejob,bytheactivityofaccomplishing.PrideinAccomplishmentThehumanbeinglongsforasenseofbeingaccomplished,ofbeingabletodothings,withhishand,withhismind,withhiswill.Eachofuswantstofeelheorshehastheabilitytodosomethingthatismeaningfulandthatservesasatributetoourinherentabilities.Itiseasiesttoseethisinthecraftsmanwholovinglyshapessomecheapmaterialintoanobjectthatmaybeeitherusefulorbeautifulorboth.Youcanseethecarpenterorbricklayerstandasideandadmiretheproductofhispersonalskill.Butevenwherethereisnoobviousendproductthatissolelyattributabletooneperson'sskill,researchershavefoundthatemployeesfindprideinaccomplishment.Ourownresearchinhospitalssuggeststhateventhehouskeepingandlaundrystaffstakeprideinthefactthatintheirownwaystheyarehelpingtocuresickpeople--andthusaccomplishinggooddeal.We'reoftenmisledbythecomplaintssurroundingdifficultwork;deepdownmostpeopleregardtheirwoncapacitytoconquerthetoughjobasthemarkoftheirownuniquepersonality.Complainingisjustpartofworking.Afterall,howelsedoyouknowwhoyouare,exceptasyoucandemonstratetheabilityofyourmindtocontrolyoulimbsadhandsandwords?Youare,insignificantmeasure,whatyoucando.Somearedeceivedintothinkingthatpeopleliketostoreupenergy,torestandsavethemselvesasmuchaspossible.Justtheopposite.Itisenergyexpenditurethatissatisfying.Justwatchanemployeewhomustdealwithcountlessotherpeoplebecausehisorherjobisatsomecentralpointinacommunicationsnetwork:asalesmanatabusycounter,astockbrokeronthephone,acustomerrepresentative.Theywilltellyouhowmuchskillandexperienceittakestoanswercountlessquestionsandhandlevariouskindsofpersonalitieseveryhouroftheday.Noteveryonecaninteractwithsuchpersistenceandoverlonghours,butthosewhodo,pridethemselvesonadistinctiveabilitythatcontributesmightilytotherunningoftheorganization.Butworkismorethanaccomplishmentandprideinbeingabletocommandthejob,becauseexceptforafewcraftsmenandartistsmostworktakesplace"outintheworld,"withanthroughotherpeople.EspritdecorpsPerhaspsanexamplewillmakethepoint:Irememberviewingahalfdozenmeinachairfactorywhosejobitwastobendseveralpiecesofsteelandattachthemsothatafoldingchairwouldresult.Whilethereweretenortwelveofthese"teams"thatworkedtogether,oneinparticularwasknownforitsperfectcoordinationandlightning-likeefforts.Themenknewtheyweregood.Theywouldworkspurtsfortwentyorthirtyminutesbeforetakingabreak--toshowthemselves,bystandersandothergroupswhatitwastobesuperblyskilledandself-controlled,tobethebestinthefactory.WhenItalkedwiththem,eachexpressedenormousprideinbeingapartofthefastest,bestteam.Andthissenseofbelongingtoanaccomplishedworkgroupisoneofthedistinctivesatisfactionsoftheworldofwork.Onefurtherwordaboutworkgroupsatisfactions.Unlikemanyotheraspectsoflife,relationshipsamongpeopleatworktendtobesimpler,lesscomplicated,somewhatlessemotional.Thisisnottosaytherearen'targumentsandjealousies,but,onthewhole,behavioralresearchdisclosesthathumanrelationsatworkarejusteasier,perhapsbecausetheyaremoreregularandpredictableandthussimplertoadjusttothanthesporadic,themoreintenseandlessregularrelationshipsinthecommunity.Andtheworkgroupalsogentlypressuresitsmemberstolearnhowtoadjusttooneanothersothatthe"roughedges"areworkedoffbecausepeopleknowtheymustdocertainthingswithandthroughoneanothereachday.Beyondtheteamandtheworkgroup,