If I define work as any effort, (physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual), directed to accomplish something, then it appears to me that any purpose must include work. The simple act of asking the question 'why am I here' is work, as is any less daunting, more specific objective. So in this regard I understand the claim that asceticism as a result of hard work is a sign of salvation; it follows that work as reparations (to repair) serves as a salve (atonement) that can redeem one’s soul. But because it is logical, does that mean my driving force, my overall purpose, should be merely to work? And if, (as many do today), we include making money beneath the umbrella of ‘what is work' are wealthy investors guaranteed their spot in heaven? Or those who inherited their wealth? I believe work is a beginning. I believe work is the means. I believe that though work may make money, making money is not work. And I believe work for the sake of work or work for the sake of money or work to create a soul-saving asceticism is short-sighted. I believe each successive desire below represents a more far-reaching, higher-order objective toward which our individual efforts may be directed. And of course each objective below involves effort, i.e. work.

1. Survival.
2. Pleasure.
3. Comfort.
4. Systematized Improvement.
5. Betterment / Growth.

I put survival first because survival should be instinctive and I believe as an individual effort, from the ego, it is. But as a species, today, I might place survival as the most far-reaching, highest order objective there is. Or, perhaps, as a species we are missing the requirement that we should constantly circle back to the beginning to ensure that we do not confuse a social or political structure with Humanity, and to be sure goodness has a chance to play its role. As a species, to circle back today, we would first need to become unstuck from the objective bog of systematized improvement and then somehow incorporate survival into our efforts from goodness toward the betterment and growth of Humanity.

This progression of individual effort is nothing new. It has been said before in many different ways. Humans direct their efforts toward happiness; (however one in a given moment may define happiness). But there is another factor to consider: the source. As implied in the paragraph above I believe the primary (instinctive) source is one’s ego, but with discipline and practice I believe, as a human, I can additionally choose to project from goodness. Which leads me to ask, can I potentially adjust the relative value of my results by increasing my effort from goodness? I believe the answer to be yes. The more I am able to override ego with goodness, the more I believe I am able to manipulate and control the results of my efforts, thus, (I would argue), work from a combination of goodness and the inevitable ego increases the value of my work. Unfortunately, our system disagrees. This exponential increase in the value of work from goodness does not always (or even often) result in an increase in my personal pleasure or comfort because the efficiencies that may be gained only serve to create a demand (from the system) for more production thus also limiting my potential for personal growth. Put another way, when I am ego driven, I am instinctively inclined to direct my efforts in a manner that best serves the system because that is how I am typically rewarded with survival, pleasure and comfort. So when I am driven by goodness, the system only recognizes and rewards efficiency/productivity gains that may come about as a result; and these efficiency/productivity gains will not account for and will almost always fall short of the value (of my work) relative to goodness. And depending on how one’s ego defines happiness, the recognition and rewards for work from goodness also often seem to fall short of the actual value.

If the purpose of the system is to gain efficiencies in order to increase production ultimately to grow profits, and if the purpose of Humanity is a respectful, unpretentious, humble compassion for All, then the system and Humanity are at odds. Compassion is not efficient. This was illustrated to me this week by an email I received from my employer, (a large state university), in which the Chief Audit and Compliance Officer described an incident of “financial mismanagement” and named a person who was terminated obviously implying guilt. Three years ago, to an office also involved in the investigation of this incident, I reported an incident of very clear mismanagement of people, (specifically students). In that case no one was terminated and nothing was made public. To this day, (as far as I know), the students harmed by this mismanagement are unaware, still believing the system worked and was not manipulated. These two incidents tell me that when a human takes advantage of the system, the system demands swift, harsh, public justice, but when the system takes advantage of a human, or, by extension, when another human takes advantage of a human within the system in a way that 1) actually improves efficiency or productivity or 2) does not impact efficiency or productivity and/or 3) by setting things right would in some way negatively impact efficiency or productivity then fairness, justice and accountability go out the window. Impropriety becomes less consequential, and in the specific circumstance I refer to, it was swept under the rug. I will say it again: Compassion is not efficient. It is okay for the system to take advantage of humans. It is not okay for a human to take advantage of the system. And many would (do) argue that the double standard is correct; that it should not be okay to take advantage of the system and that nothing should be done to thwart the demands of the system. And though the saddest part for me in this ongoing cycle of gained efficiencies and increased production, is the fact that I am missing opportunities for the sake of the system, the real crisis for Humanity is how we have lost sight of our survival and how we have relegated our betterment and growth to the back seat. What we describe as ego at a personal level, at a species level has become this loop of systematized improvement, and within this loop there is really no place for Goodness. One more time: Goodness, specifically Compassion, is not efficient.

So is there a way to break free? Or am I destined to continue working for the sake of the system? I'm not sure I have a choice. I could play mind games; (and I do). I could work to convince myself that the limited personal growth I am allowed is enough. And that the 'possibility’ of good from personal goodness is enough. But when it does no practical good for the species, and it serves my ego more so than it serves goodness, and as long as we as a species are on our current trajectory, it is mighty discouraging to essentially continue to work simply for the sake of work when I so badly want to work to save the world.