Why Do We Work So Hard?

Early retirement community knows all too well about the one more year syndrome. Even with more than enough nest egg to last a lifetime, some still compel to stay in the workforce. The Economist tries to provide an explanation on what drive people to work so hard: “Working effectively at a good job builds up our identity and esteem in the eyes of others. We cheer each other on, we share in (and quietly regret) the successes of our friends, we lose touch with people beyond our network. Spending our leisure time with other professional strivers buttresses the notion that hard work is part of the good life and that the sacrifices it entails are those that a decent person makes. This is what a class with a strong sense of identity does: it effortlessly recasts the group’s distinguishing vices as virtues.” (1843magazine.com)