--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We tend to think that employment is…" description: "\"We tend to think that employment is employment, and we don't ask the question: is this rewarding employment? Research establishes pretty clearly that t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/michael-spence-17709_better_we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-empl_1287668.jpg" --- # We tend to think that employment is employment, and we… ![“We tend to think that employment is employment, and we don't ask the question: is this rewarding employment? Research establishes pretty clearly that typical notions of happiness - that more is better - really don't correspond to the way people think and feel.” quote by Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/michael-spence-17709_better_we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-empl_1287668.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/michael-spence-17709_better_we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-empl_1287668.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/michael-spence-17709_better_we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-empl_1287668.jpg) > “We tend to think that employment is employment, and we don't ask the question: is this rewarding employment? Research establishes pretty clearly that typical notions of happiness - that more is better - really don't correspond to the way people think and feel.” [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often accept jobs without questioning if they are fulfilling; happiness isn’t simply about more work or higher pay. **In simple terms:** Jobs should be rewarding, not just any work. Key Takeaway Seek work that aligns with personal fulfillment. Themes career happiness purpose fulfillment Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - job search - career planning - self‑assessment - life coaching Key Concepts psychology economics well‑being Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of your work bring you joy? - How can you align your role with your values? A Different Perspective Higher income doesn’t guarantee satisfaction; personal values matter more. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) ## Related quotes > [Would I love to go and get out of here and have a couple of months preparing, I don't know, anywhere in sunshine? Yes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hayes/would-i-love-to-go-and-get-out-of-here-and-have-a-couple-of-months/) [Emma Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hayes/) > [Those who do not think that employment is systemic slavery are either blind or employed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/those-who-do-not-think-that-employment-is-systemic-slavery-are-either/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [When all things are considered, happiness is a better indicator of success than success has ever been of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-grothe/when-all-things-are-considered-happiness-is-a-better-indicator-of/) [Mardy Grothe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-grothe/) > [The choice for mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-choice-for-mankind-lies-between-freedom-and-happiness-and-for-the/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Being happy is good but spreading happiness among others is even better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/being-happy-is-good-but-spreading-happiness-among-others-is-even/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Money cant buy you happiness? Well it's better to cry in a ferrari as compare to sohrab's cycle!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danish/money-cant-buy-you-happiness-well-it-s-better-to-cry-in-a-ferrari-as/) [Danish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danish/) > [“That the choice for mankind lay between freedom and happiness, and that, for the great bulk of mankind, happiness was better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/that-the-choice-for-mankind-lay-between-freedom-and-happiness-and/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“But once you cross the Shannon - even though geographically you have only come a short distance - different rules of time apply, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-mccarthy/but-once-you-cross-the-shannon-even-though-geographically-you-have/) [Pete McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-mccarthy/) > [Supreme happiness is to find that you are a better personat the end of the year than you were at the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/supreme-happiness-is-to-find-that-you-are-a-better-personat-the-end/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [Even temporary happiness is much better than permanent misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/even-temporary-happiness-is-much-better-than-permanent-misery/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [“Restricted happiness is better than the freedom of solitude." -Yuichi to Wataru”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-kannagi/restricted-happiness-is-better-than-the-freedom-of-solitude-yuichi-to/) [Satoru Kannagi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-kannagi/) > [“I do suspect that he is not really necessary to my happiness.  So much the better.  I certainly will not persuade myself to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/i-do-suspect-that-he-is-not-really-necessary-to-my-happiness-so-much/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [It was probably a mistake to pursue happiness; much better to create happiness; still better to create happiness for others. The more happiness you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-c-douglas/it-was-probably-a-mistake-to-pursue-happiness-much-better-to-create/) [Lloyd C. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-c-douglas/) > [“I do not write this in a spirit of sourness or personal disappointment of any kind, nor do I have any romantic attachment to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/i-do-not-write-this-in-a-spirit-of-sourness-or-personal/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [“That the choice for mankind lay between freedom and happiness and for the bulk of mankind happiness was better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/that-the-choice-for-mankind-lay-between-freedom-and-happiness-and-for/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) ## More by Michael Spence > [My mother was strong-willed, demanding, and very supportive all at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/my-mother-was-strong-willed-demanding-and-very-supportive-all-at-the/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [I picked economics at the end of my undergraduate time because it seemed to be a really nice combination of theory, including mathematical theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/i-picked-economics-at-the-end-of-my-undergraduate-time-because-it/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [There is no question that the recovery from the global recession triggered by the 2008 financial crisis has been unusually lengthy and anemic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/there-is-no-question-that-the-recovery-from-the-global-recession/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [During my Ph.D. program, I became interested in the informational structure of markets that turned into the work on signaling, which was the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/during-my-ph-d-program-i-became-interested-in-the-informational/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [In economies with excess productive capacity, targeted investment can yield a double benefit, generating short-run demand and boosting growth and productivity thereafter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/in-economies-with-excess-productive-capacity-targeted-investment-can/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [Next to my family, it seems clear to me that the educational institutions and the teachers from whom I had the privilege of learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/next-to-my-family-it-seems-clear-to-me-that-the-educational/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [Properly targeted public investment can do much to boost economic performance, generating aggregate demand quickly, fueling productivity growth by improving human capital, encouraging technological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/properly-targeted-public-investment-can-do-much-to-boost-economic/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [Globalization is the process by which markets integrate worldwide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/globalization-is-the-process-by-which-markets-integrate-worldwide/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [The research side of academic life is often viewed from the outside as a solo and, at times, lonely activity. In fact, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/the-research-side-of-academic-life-is-often-viewed-from-the-outside/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [Digitally enabled supply chains initially increased efficiency and dramatically shortened lead times. Capital was mobile; labor, less so. Economic activity (production, research, design, etc.)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/digitally-enabled-supply-chains-initially-increased-efficiency-and/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [It is a wonderful and unexpected honor to receive the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Receiving this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/it-is-a-wonderful-and-unexpected-honor-to-receive-the-bank-of-sweden/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [Although everyone does benefit from lower-priced goods and services, people also care greatly about the chance to be productively employed and the quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/although-everyone-does-benefit-from-lower-priced-goods-and-services/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [I was not thinking about infinite multipliers when I was 10. But I did have a father who was a Ph.D. in commerce and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/i-was-not-thinking-about-infinite-multipliers-when-i-was-10-but-i-did/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [Globalization has redefined the competition for employment and incomes in the United States. Tradeoffs will have to be made between the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/globalization-has-redefined-the-competition-for-employment-and/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) > [China's continued growth and rising household income are creating opportunities for lower-income economies in low-cost manufacturing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/china-s-continued-growth-and-rising-household-income-are-creating/) [Michael Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) [Explore all 36 Michael Spence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We tend to think that employment is employment, and we don't ask the question: is this rewarding employment? Research establishes pretty clearly that typical notions of happiness - that more is better - really don't correspond to the way people think and feel.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Spence" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-employment-and-we-don-t-ask-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-employment-and-we-don-t-ask-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/michael-spence-17709_better_we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-empl_1287668.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/michael-spence-17709_better_we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-empl_1287668.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/350/michael-spence-17709_better_we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-empl_1287668.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We tend to think that employment is employment, and we don't ask the question: is this rewarding employment?…” — Michael Spence", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Spence", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-spence/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We tend to think that employment...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-employment-and-we-don-t-ask-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-spence/we-tend-to-think-that-employment-is-employment-and-we-don-t-ask-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```