That capability, as a matter of fact, is a fundamental requirement of individual freedom, and academic champions of liberal learning should think twice before denigrating the means by which most of us achieve liberation. We work for other reasons as well. Workplaces are communities, where we collaborate with our colleagues in pursuit of common objectives. Above all, at work, in ways small or large, we practice pursuits and participate in processes that help shape the character and the conditions of our commonwealth. Work is where actions have public consequence, where the utility of information, knowledge, and ideas has value, and where we ultimately learn to apply most fully all that our teachers taught us.
Jobs vary enormously, and many are at times difficult and stressful.
Yet, for many Americans what we do and what we accomplish when we work is a primary source of meaning and value in our lives. Many young people believe they can find an answer to these needs by preparing for a challenging career, possibly even a calling, and that is something academia should celebrate and nurture.