Meaningful WorkThere are various work ethics including: 1) work is a necessary evil (Lefevre) 2) work, at least in part, is enjoyable (Dante) 3) work is an opportunity to help others 4) work is a primary way one may become self-fulfilled (Marx) 5) the maximization of personal wealth through disciplined work is socially desirable (Protestant work ethic). The protestant work ethic also states that work is more important than pleasure, one should amass wealth so one is not a burden and one should be rich for God.Meaningful work is a task that is undertaken that has value in that moment. Each individual has different intrinsic and extrinsic reasons for carrying out a task. Work will most likely be carried out more completely when one's intrinsic benefits are high. One may feel alienated from one's work when one is mentally and/or exhausted. Secondly, when one feels alienated (i.e. one's boss and/or coworker is overbearing). Thirdly, one may feel alienated when one is unable to complete an undertaken task or one can not relate to the finished product. Caring relationships add to the meaning that one derives from work.Collegiality and loyalty are important aspects of work. There are three aspects to collegiality: a) respect for one's co-workers and reciprocation of that respect b) an attitude of being connected with colleagues in a shared enterprise that serves some public good c) a sense of willingness to work together with co-workers. Therefore, collegiality is good as a form of caring relationship and as a means for the public good."Loyalty can refer either to strong and caring identifications with persons, causes, or institutions, or to the virtue involved when these identifications are morally valuable in some way - especially when the identifications engender faithful devotion to the fulfillment of one's moral duties" (Martin, 376). Loyalty is appropriate if that loyalty is returned and if genuine duties and goods are served by that loyalty.Self-realization theory states that, if the work is not inherently immoral, then one's self-interest is the only consideration. Service ethics states that the maximum good for people should be the consideration when one chooses a career. Mixed ethics states that self-realization is most important, but it should be pursued so that the maximum amount of good for the people occurs.Works CitedMartin, Mike. Everyday Morality: An Introduction to Applied Ethics. Wadsworth, United Sates: 2001.
