Is the ever-increasing standard of living in the United States slowly destroying work ethic???

Question

Does anyone believe there is a inverse relationship between standard of living and work ethic?

Answer 1

Yes. You can look at the history of a lot of countries as they became more prosperous. Japan is a good example (contrast to China). Western Europe (contrast to Eastern Europe). But hese changes take place around the margin, so I think "destroying: is a bit hyperbolic. Eroding might be a better choice.  

Answer 2

The work ethic is a matter of keeping your agreements in the market place,whether  it is not to mess off during working hours, or to deal with your customers honestly. This has diminished, but I think it is because  of the increasing impersonal  relationships  employees have with large corporations, and corporations have with their customers not a increase in the standard of living.

There is the diminishing utility  or value  placed on  addition consumption as your consumption  increases.  People will work 12 hours a day if it necessary, forgoing  all leisure time,  to buy food to prevent  their family from staving but will not  if they can buy enough food with 2 hour of labor which means they have a higher standard of living. This is a rational  economic choice  not lack of  a work ethic.

Answer 3

Yeah, it seems even "working" people are lazy in this country. In previous generations there was a stronger work ethic.