Meritocracy exists. Status is
earned by your
achievements, by what
you've accomplished in life.
You get ahead based on merit.
Status must be won, not
automatically accorded, and it
can be lost.
An autocracy exists. A
certain amount of status
comes with the family name
and the groups you are
affiliated with, and can't
easily be lost. Achievements
are important, but you can
have status even without them.
Your station in life is in part
an accident of birth.
Concept of Work
Work as Part of Identity Work as Functional Necessity
Work has value in and of itself.
Your job is an important part of
your identity. People live to
work, in the sense that getting
things done is inherently
satisfying.
Work is the means to paying
bills and meeting financial
obligations. It may be
satisfying but doesn't have to
be. Life is too short to revolve
around one's work. Work is
what I do, not who I am.
