WORKTOLIVEORLIVETOWORK?

　　AReflectionbyVictorLana

　　Manyyearsagoinmyundergraduatesociologyclasstheprofessor(hisnamenowescapesme)askedtheclass,"Wouldyouprefertoworktoliveorlivetowork?"AsIrecallnow,thisledtoavibrantdiscussionaboutpriorities,whatwesawourselvesdoinginthefuture,andhowwellwewantedtolivethelifethatweenvisioned."Livetowork"obviouslyconnotesthatonegoeshappilyofftotheofficeeachday,while"worktolive"impliessomethingmoreonerous.

　　Ioftenthinkaboutthatdiscussionastheyearshavepassed,andIhaveevenusedthatquestionratherfrequentlyasawritingassignmentinmyfreshmancompositionclasses.Duringtheprewritingphase,studentsusuallyspokefreelyconcerningtheiropinionsinbrainstormingsessions.Manyarguedvehementlywiththoseontheoppositeside,butbythetimetheygottotheactualwriting,moststudentsseemedratheradamantthatnojoborbosswasgoingtoruintheirlives.

　　InthegrandschemeofthingsformanyAmericans,"work"seemstotakeprecedentoverhavinga"life."Thetwotermsarelargelydiametricconceptsthesedays,especiallyafter9/11whenmanypeoplelostjobs.Nowitseemsjusthavingajobtogotoisfortunate;thus,nomatterwhattheconditions,thestatusofbeingemployedismuchmoredesirablethanitsalternative.

　　IbelievethatmostAmericansworkharderthantheymightwantorneedto.Ifoneusespublictransportasameansofgettingtowork(asIhavedonehereinNewYorkCity),itisanopportunitytoobservepeopleinwhatareperhapssomeoftheworstmomentsoftheirworkday:thedailycommute.Surely,aftertheterroristattacksinLondononJuly7,2005,travelonrailorbushaschangedforNewYorkers.Peoplehavealwayshadfearssince9/11,butnowthereisanaddedburden.Theheftofthisheightenedconcernetchedontheirfaces,NewYorkersmovealongontheirwaytoworkwithremarkableresiliency,butmanyareafflictedbysomethingmorethantheirmodeoftravel,indicatingthemountingrigorsandstressintheAmericanworkplace.

　　Since9/11manycompanieshavebeentryingtocutcornersinordertobalancethebudget.Iknowanumberofcaseswhereworkershavebeentoldthattheyneedtodomoretoretaintheirjobs.Domoreusuallyimpliestakingadditionalresponsibilities.Inoneparticularcase,thepersonwastold,“Ms.XisretiringandMr.Yisleavingforanotherjob,soweexpectyoutotakeontheirworkload.”Thiswasdonewithnoincreaseinstatusorsalary,andthepersonkeptquiet,tookontheadditionalwork,andhadtostaylateronmanydaystofinishhistasks.Ofcourse,heismiserablebecauseofit.