Is a Good Work Ethic Important to an Individual's Success?
I was raised in a fairly humble, rural setting where we all had responsibilities (chores) and were expected to contribute to the welfare of the family unit, the church and the community.
In addition to chores in and around the house, we were expected (a mild term) to do well in school and when old enough to work part-time and contribute some of the money earned to the family coffers (usually mom's fund for fun things like birthday parties and family outings).
I am not an authority on child rearing and cannot state that this is the best way to raise children, but it worked for my brothers and sisters and we have passed many of those same values along to our children and hopefully they will do the same with my grandchildren.
We learned to set goals, accept responsibility for our actions, to work hard to achieve success, to pay our bills and to value the money we earned (always saving as much as we could). Most importantly, we learned that through hard work we could succeed and make things easier for ourselves and our children.
Perhaps not the best approach to child rearing - but it worked in our house and in the homes of many people I knew growing up.
So I ask -"Is instilling a strong work ethic in our children, a primary responsibility of parents (and society)?"
If you work too hard you won't be eligible for an Obama phone or free healthcare. If you work really hard and make good choices you will have people like Bernie wanting to take 90% of your earnings. It's as balancing act these days and a choice of being a slave to the government or quality of life playing golf all day.
As usual you missed the point.
Was the question in the last line of the post unclear? Do you need it explained?
The answer is no not these days with the welfare state.
Dean
Actually what you term "the welfare state" is caused in part because parents and society do not instill a positive and strong work ethic in our youth and not a reason not to do so.
My answer is "yes" but that is not enough to instill in your children. One should also instill a sense of charity. While my children were young I was very involved as a member of the Board of Directors of an International charity. In Toronto we ran a telethon. My children set up a lemonade stand outside our home to raise money for that charity, and they were televised giving the proceeds to Monty Hall, the MC. My daughter is now the Program Director of a charitable institution, and my son is in a profession where charity is a paramount consideration.