Ashton Kutcher
received the “Ultimate Choice Award” at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards held on
Sunday, 11 August 2013, and then spoke to the audience. He elaborated on three important lessons he learned before he became known as
Ashton. The first of the three lessons
involved work. “I believe that
opportunity looks a lot like hard work.
When I was 13, I had my first job with my dad carrying shingles up to
the roof, and then I got a job washing dishes at a restaurant, and then I got a
job in a grocery store deli, and then I got a job at a factory sweeping Cheerio
dust off the ground.’
Ashton’s incredible advice
continued, “And I’ve never had a job in my life that I was better than. I was always just lucky to have a job. And every job I had was a stepping stone to
my next job, and I never quit my job until I had my next job. And so opportunities look a lot like work.”
The simple fact that Ashton’s
remarks made national headlines reveals a great deal about the culture of
America – the culture of work. David
Azerrad of The Foundry expressed his opinion about why Ashton’s remarks made such a hit: “In America, we no longer extol hard work the
way we used to…. The `work is for
suckers’ mentality is no longer confined to a few marginal Huck Finns….
“Public opinion has also become
much more tolerant of idleness. When
Alexis de Tocqueville traveled through America in the 1830s, he was struck by
the very strong prejudice in favor of work:
“`I sometimes met rich young people, enemies by temperament of every
painful effort, who had been forced to take up a profession. Their nature and their fortune permitted them
to remain idle; public opinion imperiously forbade it to them, and they had to
obey.’
“Public opinion imperiously
forbids many things today, including smoking and not recycling, but not working
is most definitely not one of them. We
have not (yet) become a nation of slackers, mooches, and loafers, but we may
reasonably wonder whether America is still `the Land of Labor,’ as Benjamin
Franklin described the country to prospective immigrants. The erosion of our culture of work has
profound ramifications for the health of the American dream. Along with economic freedom, a culture that
sustains, encourages, and honors hard work is one of the twin pillars that make
the American Dream possible. The
American Dream, after all, is dreamed by dreamers – but achieved by workers….”
Azerrad then quoted Frederick
Douglass, “Our great apostle of upward mobility.” “`WORK! WORK!!
WORK!!! WORK!!!! Not transient and fitful effort, but patient,
enduring, honest, unremitting and indefatigable work into which the whole heart
is put, and which, in both temporal and spiritual affairs, is the true miracle
worker.’”
Bishop H. David Burton, then
Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spoke
about our rapidly changing world, particularly the changing employment
market: “Today, many have forgotten the
value of work. Some falsely believe that
the highest goal in life is to achieve a condition in which one no longer needs
to work. President David O. McKay
(1873-1970) was fond of saying, `Let us realize that the privilege to work is a
gift, that power to work is a blessing, that love of work is success.’
“Work is not a matter of
economic need alone; it is a spiritual necessity. Our Father in Heaven works to bring about our
salvation and exaltation (see Moses 1:39).
And, beginning with Adam, He has commanded us to work. Even in the Garden of Eden, Adam was
instructed to `dress [till] it and keep it’ (Genesis 2:15). After the Fall, Adam was told, `In the sweat
of thy face shalt thou eat bread’ (Genesis 3:19). As with any other commandment, there is joy
in its keeping. To work – honestly and
productively – brings contentment and a sense of self-worth. Having done all we can to be self-reliant, to
provide for our own needs and those of our family, we can turn to the Lord in
confidence to ask for what we might yet lack.”
I admire a man or woman who
knows how to work and is willing to work hard.
Teaching children and youth to work is one of our most important
responsibilities. The rising generation
needs to learn the value of work by being involved in household chores. Bishop Burton said, “Wise parents will work
alongside their children, will provide frequent praise, and will make sure no
task is overwhelming.”
When my children were young and
home on a day off from school or on summer vacation, they would often complain
when given a chore, “I’m on vacation!”
My reply to them was, “You are on vacation from school but not on
vacation from life!” Too many people in
this world think that the most important part of life is when we stop working –
whether for a vacation or in retirement.
Shortly after my husband
retired, we started to travel and traveled for long periods of time. We saw a lot of country, met a lot of
fabulous people, and spent some wonderful days with our children, grandchildren,
and other family members. Most people
would think that a “life of luxury” was wonderful, and it was to a point;
however, I found that I always had to find some work to do. When at my children’s homes, I found some
deep cleaning tasks – jobs that busy parents do not have the time or energy to
do. While at my brother’s home, I helped
pull weeds and plant flowers. I had to
work whenever I found the opportunity because I did not particularly enjoy a “never-ending
vacation.”
Work is an eternal principle,
and God has commanded us to work. In
addition, work is a blessing because it builds self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment. When we work hard to accomplish something, we
feel good about ourselves – whether it is a good grade in school, a talent such
as playing the piano, mowing a lawn, painting a room, or providing for
ourselves and/or our family. We must
constantly be modeling and teaching the importance of work in order to bring
the culture of work back to America!
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