Work and the human condition: Understanding difficulties in work adaptation

Abstract

Except for the slave-owning areas of the south, no country has been as work-oriented as the United States. The American of all classes was expected to be “good with his hands.” But we shouldn't forget that work subcultures have their own mystique, they aren't “natural,” and one becomes a participating member through a process of enculturation which may be as difficult as the process of becoming Americanized is difficult for some immigrants.