Sunday, January 1, 2017

Work really fascinates me

Realized have some simple concepts about work, outside of physics, and what it is. So figured should just write out to see.

To me work is when a person provides a service under some kind of contract to some entity.

So you could work for your mother by doing the dishes, and she could be said to have put you to work. Or you can work for your nation, in service to your country, at any number of tasks.

And employment to me is when you work for some entity for remuneration.

And to employ someone you establish a contract for them to work for you for some remuneration.

What fascinates me about looking at work simply is the idea of some kind of contract within its definition, which then carries over to others. But employ is a verb which I think still needs contract stated when trying to define simply. And why abstract to this level?

Because how we define work defines so much about how people give back value to their society usually in exchange for value in return, which is how you make a living. And with my idea that money is most efficient as a return on a favor, the favor of work is interesting to me as well. But are you doing your mother a favor by washing the dishes?

And contracts are a huge subject where you can have social contracts and written ones, but guess all reflect some kind of future obligation. Contracts indicate you will DO something, not that you have done something.

Whether your work can be considered to be a favor to some other entity or not is a lot about community. Having a friend favor you with a cup of coffee is great. Having a stranger do the same at a coffee shop is commerce, as you return the favor with money, which I see as a social IOU. You return the favor of the cup of coffee with money which will be used later in exchange for some other favor.

But defending your nation? Is not a favor to that nation but can be about duty, honor and country. So the nation figures out how to value employment for national defenders on a community basis and for instance in the United States, the US Congress works out how to pay soldiers in the US military.

Found myself almost shifting from saying they work in the US Congress but of course those elected to represent the interests of their constituents are to do a service for their nation under a social contract. They get people to vote them into office with expectations they will do valuable service to the nation.

Our expectations as voters are about future work.

Looking at work simply helps me consider how to work best. But for instance, is this post work? I don't think there is a contract involved, unless am working for myself? The post definitely reflects effort, am sure. Am trying to do my best, and to communicate things I feel are important for myself and for others, maybe.

So to me, no this post isn't work. It IS fun.

It's an opportunity to share ideas others may find useful and help me clarify my own thoughts and set them down in a way meant to help freeze them in place.

Decided not to put links to other posts in this one, but it has labels: business, employment and money and can click those below to get other posts related.


James Harris