Ch. 12 p 474-496 ch. 16p. 671-697 ch. 17 ch.12 p. 518 ch. 16 p. 697 - 708
Work and Retirement
Work and “role continuity” vs. “role discontinuity.”
Work ethic was an important part of our socialization process “adults are supposed to do something productive”. The value placed on work and paid productivity in our society shapes how individuals approach employment and retirement.
Role theory – one of the earliest attempts to explain how individuals adjust to aging. Such roles identify and describe a personas a social being and are the basis of self concept and identity
role continuity – series or roles people are expected to enter at various stages of their lives – roles early in life are designed to prepare them for the roles they are supposed to take on as they get older – pre industrial settings. early in life define roles that one assume early in life help them as they take on roles as they get older.
Role discontinuity – what is learned at one age may be useless of conflict with a subsequent period in ones life – example: learning to be productive in the workplace may be antithetical to adjusting to more ambiguous roles in retirement.
The role of Christianity in our changing attitudes toward work (including the positions of St. Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, and John Calvin).
Early Catholic Church- if everyone works then what they produce is the ability to share with other people the act of giving/assisting people in need. So there is a need to work to afford the help to others. The early catholic churches attitude toward work ethic(Church began to change peoples attitudes towards work. priest were expected to go out and till fields, etc. the churches doctrine is that if everyone works, including priests alongside parishners, then everyone can help everyone in need.
St. Thomas Aquinas- created hierarchy of occupations. and he considered some acceptable and some not acceptable.