Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Gratitude vs Contentment

I thought this up while wanting to escape an entry-level job.
In a fictitious town with a less-than-optimal economy, there is a company. Bob works there as a typist. Bob is grateful for his job, however he has a college degree in management. When a managerial position opens, Bob submits his résumé. When Bob informs his friends and family of his work decision and asks for support, almost all say the same thing: "Bob, you should be grateful for the job you have. Many people are without work and you are lucky and blessed to even have a job."
While this healthy dose of realism is helpful to retain a proper perspective, why is Bob seen as ungrateful when he wants to better his situation in a hard economic time? Why do people view gratefulness and contentment as the same thing? Can Bob be grateful for his current job and yet not content to stay there the rest of his life? I submit that he can.

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