Satisfying Work Essay

(INTRO) Satisfying work must meet one condition: one must be employed at some form of work or labor. When one is satisfied with that work does the first part of the equation come in. Satisfying work often involves helping others in some form, or improving oneself. Not all work is satisfying because of certain pressures or handicaps. Satisfying work is often defined as work that is pleasing to oneself, when in reality satisfying work is helping others as well as improving yourself.

Satisfying work can be defined in simply: work that pleases oneself. To break it down, satisfying means to fulfill desires and expectations. Work applies to a labor or hard task. To narrow down the species, satisfying work is work that gives one joy during the

In the article “Blue Collar Brilliance,” it is described how blue collar work can be just as satisfying or even more satisfying than white collar work. The article describes how blue collar jobs may be less desirable because of lower education standards or lower pay. These do not show the accomplishments or achievements that make blue collar work satisfying. “Achievement[s] wrought by hard work” (Rose 283) are satisfying as they make the individual feel like they have accomplished something. This feeling of completion can bring contentment to work. Similarly, working with your hands can provide a feeling of gratification. This work often feels “straightforwardly useful” (Crawford 368) and helpful to the average person. A variety of skills are needed to combine both hands and mind into an effective problem solving machine. In the article “The Case for Working with Your Hands,” the author makes the claim that work “relies on a mental library that you develop” (Crawford 372). This can prove satisfying by using what one has learned in the past by example and applying it again. It also builds knowledge with experience to solve more and more complicated problems. Work can also be satisfying when one is trying to fulfill a dream. In the example in the Article “Fifteen Years on the Bottom Rung,” half of the article tells the story of Greek immigrant who came to America to improve his life. “For

Sometimes work can become repetitive and dreary. The article “I was a Warehouse Wage Slave” illustrates this point perfectly. Describing warehouse work as slavery gives it a very negative connotation, as well as giving a visual example. During the article, the author chronicles the work and why it was undesirable. “The place is immense. Cold, cavernous. Silent.” This description makes the warehouse seem lonely, even though thousands of people work there. This type of work would be unsatisfying because of the pressure and constant sorting, grabbing and bending. In the article “Fifteen years on the bottom rung,” the other half tells the story of Juan Peralta. He describes his time as a food cook in New York City, and why he is not pleased with his work. With his job in the kitchen, Peralta felt expendable. He wasn’t satisfied because there was no job security. Alongside this, there were no opportunities to move up in the restaurant, leaving a feeling of hopelessness. In order for jobs cannot be satisfying if they do not fit alongside with what the person's needs