- If you do not work you are not a good person.
- Since work is good, the more you do the better.
- Working is the natural order of life and what "God wants". If you do not work you are "a sinner". (see here "protestant work ethic").
Quote
in his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.[4] Weber asserted that Protestant ethics and values along with the Calvinist doctrine of asceticism and predestination gave birth to capitalism.
For those that may remain unconvinced by the shame, there is another positive construct based on ambition (I won´t call it greed): "The American Dream" - not exclusive from the US at all, it is just that it is better know by that name. The basis is "If you are talented and work hard, you can do whatever you dream of", and by the way you have to dream of a family and a big house in case you had any doubts.
This are quite simple concepts, appeal to the masses and are the type of simple answers to complex questions that seem to get grip in certain social groups.
Are any of these dogmas valid in developed countries nowadays? Is it better to interpret it as working for yourself rather than making effort to advance other people´s agenda?
