Thursday, September 4, 2014

Great news from an alumnus!

Congratulations to Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn for being quoted in the NYTimes!

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/09/04/why-dont-americans-take-vacation-7/overworking-is-part-of-our-identity

SEPTEMBER 4, 2014
Many people chasing the American Dream are working long hours and skipping vacation to reach it. Most employees strongly believe, compared with people in other countries, that hard work pays off in success. But they seem to overestimate income mobility: Research by Miles Corak, for instance, shows that mobility is higher in some other countries than in the U.S.
My research shows that Americans who work over 40 hours a week are more happy than those who work less, but that doesn't always translate into economic success.
My research shows that Americans who work over 40 hours a week are more happy than those who work less – so are they happy being overworked? Europeans, on the other hand, are different – they seem to value leisure time more, and accordingly those who work over 40 hours are less happy than those working less.
Protestant influence and a strong belief in individualism (taking things in one's own hands, making it without help, proving yourself) account for some of the aspects of the strong American work ethic. But Americans are also forced to work more than others – in many other developed countries there is universal health care, education is cheaper or free, and in the U.S. you need to have money to access these things. Inequality is also more marked – so it makes more sense to work harder to be a winner.