A 2011 Harris Poll Caught my eye, ranking America’s favorite Holidays, and then segmenting that info by generation and gender.
I’ll admit it: Labor Day is MY favorite Holiday.
In the past I’ve called it Under-rated. Misunderstood. Now I’ll just call it my favorite.
Religious convictions aside, I have to wonder why it doesn’t crack the top 5, at least in 2011 it did not (it ranked #8).
Economic pressure?
No religious affiliation?
End of something great (summer)?
The stigma associated with “WORK?” It’s a four letter word not just literally, but metaphorically.
Who knows. And really, who cares! People have the right to call whatever holiday is their favorite.
Here are my reasons, kind of off the top of my head.
It has been said that the greatest social program known to man and government is a job. AGREE.
All jobs, regardless of pay matter. If you think hard enough, many of your values and life lessons can trace back to your early years working.
The Value of Your First Few Jobs
A Job, Not A Choice On The Menu
When you receive compensation for anything (products, hours, etc) you are exchanging one thing of value for another. This exchange system is as old as the dawn of civilization. There’s something special about anything that goes back centuries.
There’s something democratic about capitalism. The free enterprise system, with all its flaws tends to find a price/value for all jobs in demand. The greater the demand, lower the supply, the higher the price. These laws almost always ring true.
The USA is a country of immigrants. Not a debate. Immigrants come to the USA in search of a better life. What was tops on their mind to do that? A JOB.
Our economy moves at light speed. A profession today could be wiped out in 2 years for a number of reasons. That creates risk. It also creates opportunity. Either way, it should keep you on your toes.
Maybe I just think of “Labor” or work, as the back-bone of our country and it’s free enterprise system. FREEDOM. CHOICE. Land of OPPORTUNITY.
The nightly news has always puzzled me. The sentiment always seems to be so negative.
Personally, when I think of America I ALWAYS have a smile on my face.
I see so many people work, struggle, succeed, help each other, grind away, figure it out, and generally move forward. I see people with seemingly average ability go on to be wild successful. I see people that (on the surface) get lucky, but when you hear their story, they usually found a way to create that luck by choices they made.
I see people struggle to figure out how to pick up their kids at school when their employer asks them to hang in an extra hour or 2.
I see the overwhelming majority of people get up in the morning and WANT to put a good, honest days effort and provide for their families. And many of these same people have a fire in their belly to improve on their current lot in life and grow, from wherever they are today.
“Work” to me is something you DO. It’s a choice. It’s a skill. It’s the path to whatever life you hope to live. Sure, Turkeys and Goblins are fun. But if I’m going to give you my number one holiday, Labor Day gets my vote.
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/NewsRoom/HarrisPolls/tabid/447/ctl/ReadCustom%20Default/mid/1508/