Only in America…

Posted on by Live & Learn

water-hand-swim-ocean-relax-touch-feel

Only in America do we equate workaholism with virtue and view time spent at the shore or in the mountains or in the desert as time wasted — as evidence of laziness. Americans feel guilty about taking time off and equate workaholism with virtue. That’s stupid.

~ William Falk, Why you deserve a vacation via theweekmagazine

Post inspired by the movie: “13 Conversations About One Thing“:

I’ve always thought of contentment
as a form of resignation.
Of accepting the status quo.
It means you’ve given up.
I’m not ready to surrender.

~ John Turturro in 13 Conversations about One Thing 

Loved the movie. Here’s a trailer:

Sources:

42 thoughts on “Only in America…”

  4. A cruel slave mentality in the USA seems the norm. – which is a pity. Life is for more than serving the big crops. I hope. eve

  6. We seem to have inherited the work ethic of the Pilgrims. Our country has less vacation days than European ones. We rush lunch: they take their time. When they’re ill, they stay home. We go to work and infect everyone else. We pride ourselves on common sense and evidence little of it in many areas. Why this drive to work until we drop, to accept less than humane working conditions, to feel guilty when we are sick and miss work? There has to be some kind of an answer.

    1. there is an element of slave labour in the USA – probably started with the slave trade and total disregard for human life, then also that of the Native Indians too.. People were able to get rich off the backs of others, and this cont. on.. We see the same today as the USA goes out into the World, towards the middle east, south america and so on.. There is a pattern to this work ethic which is insane. eve

  10. I am American – I believe in vacation, I take vacation, I love vacation, have taken vacation every year of my 45 years of marriage, will take vacations every year until they plant me in the ground – a vacation is at the core of what God made this earth for. Work is important and vacation is a time to appreciate the fruit of your labor! Life takes on true meaning when we take time to reflect on what is important. It’s to bad so many Americans as well as others in this world don’t get it. Great post, full of truth for many but not all!

  11. We only have one life, and in the end…what will really matter? I think about this from time to time, being the workaholic that I am (not by choice, but by necessity). I try, I really try to find something meaningful in each day. So many people are missing out on so much…and we only have one life.

    1. Carol, yes. Your thought reminds me of a quote by Milton Glaser titled: Rule #1:

      “Last year someone gave me a charming book by Roger Rosenblatt called ‘Ageing Gracefully’…I did not appreciate the title at the time but it contains a series of rules for ageing gracefully. The first rule is the best. Rule number one is that ‘it doesn’t matter.’ ‘It doesn’t matter that what you think. Follow this rule and it will add decades to your life. It does not matter if you are late or early, if you are here or there, if you said it or didn’t say it, if you are clever or if you were stupid. If you were having a bad hair day or a no hair day or if your boss looks at you cockeyed or your boyfriend or girlfriend looks at you cockeyed, if you are cockeyed. If you don’t get that promotion or prize or house or if you do – it doesn’t matter.’ Wisdom at last.”

      ~ Milton Glaser, Ten Things That I Have Learned

      1. I think a lot of that just happens anyway as we grow older, don’t you think? When I was younger, I worried about all those sorts of things, but now, I really, honestly feel that it truly doesn’t matter. Things will just be what they are…and people are all different. We can’t worry so much about what other people think. Aging is a weird thing…there is the peace that comes with knowing that so much just doesn’t matter…but there are also the feelings that have become so much stronger, that our time is truly limited…and that it is more important than ever to find the meaningful moments…which has everything to do with our real connection to this world and the knowledge of what life should have been about all along. This aging thing…it’s bittersweet, without a doubt.

  13. One of the things I treasure most about sef-employment is the fact that it’s pulled me off the “hamster wheel” of incessant work. I work, but I play, too. You only go around once–this is not a dress rehearsal. Finally getting that through my thick skull….

      1. Well, I can assure you yah it’s a mixed blessing, DK. I love the flexibility and diversity, but it can also be stressful as h$&&@!. I’m the one responsible for “Making the donuts” each day, and if they *don’t* get made! well……

  14. I’m learning some new data processes at work, which is really stressing me out. I don’t think I’ve worked this hard my whole life. But this past weekend I drove 4 hours north and played in the sun and went swimming in the lake and hugged my grandkid, and all the stress and madness went away. It gave me strength for the week ahead. We MUST realize what matters in life, and take it every chance we get.

  15. Laziness to go on holiday? that’s kind of ……different. The only reason we don’t go more often is because of the money. Holiday is soooo refreshing

      1. Yes, there are a few negative points to their outlook but it got them to become a current economic world giant. I have a future blog post planned on them with some interesting insights.

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