Western Civilization and the Modern Work Ethic: Part 2.

Francis Fukuyama is his book The End of History and the Last Man, defines work through Traditional Liberal Economic Theory. And while he moves on to explain other views for his purposes, this portion says;

Work is an essentially unpleasant activity undertaken for the sake of the utility of the things created by work. [He also says] Man will remain at work for as long as he calculates its benefits outweigh the unpleasantness of being there. [paraphrased]

His argument tries to break down this logical progression by providing the alternate example of a "type-A" personality, with tendencies towards being a workaholic. A rational calculation of endurance versus gain does not explain everyone's work ethic. I think in a truly larger scheme however, it does.

His argument persists that benefit and leisure do not accumulate in direct proportion to the rate at which some people demand of themselves. Their 'work ethic' is incalculable. He goes on, and on, and on...The book never stops.

Fortunately I do. My point is simple. There are individuals that work themselves to death for the self-decided noble pursuit of a high standard of hard work. These people do destroy their own lives and health, and their benefits are not corollary. These people should not be the norm, they are instead, the aberration.

CEOs and CFOs and all the other higher-ups in a multi-national corporate entity don't work for an insubstantial amount of return. When one of these creatures 'gives up' their Saturdays, or puts in 12 hour work days, they have ulterior motives, and let's face it, their labor is inconsequential compared to the exertions of someone below them. Even if you (as the outsider) don't see the direct connection between their effort and their stability, it is there.

When a corporation exists, it is still and always only comprised of individuals, and it is those people, not a faceless entity, which reap the rewards of others' hard work. Time and again, their practices are deemed legal. Ken Lay being led away in cuffs is (again) the aberration, not the norm. It doesn't take away everyone else's culpability.

We the People, [workers, employees, underlings, fodder]
in order to maintain our standards, our morals, and our ethics often push ourselves to succeed beyond the promise of accumulation of wealth. Every time one of us works our person into poor health, or struggles with our finances while our efforts create immeasurable wealth for our bosses, a crime is committed.