> We are?

Yes we are. When discussing a salary offer, do you negotiate it down? When buying products and services, do you just pay the minimum amount asked or do you offer more from the goodness of your heart? When getting your paycheck do you immediately donate most of it to the less fortunate in Africa, keeping only enough to cover the bare necessities for yourself? If not, welcome to the club: you too are greedy.

> When I was a kid I LOVED working like the adults.

My kids loved helping with yard when they were little. Their reward was spending time with me and learning. It was enough then. Now, as teens, not so much. I have to pay to motivate them.

> Work was FUN!

Work is still fun, for me at least. But a paycheck makes it even better. I don't know anybody cleaning sewage for pure fun though.

> East Germany

I too grew up in communist Eastern Europe. I clearly remember the never ending lines for food and any basic items like soap or toilet paper. With the profit motivation made illegal, nobody did any work and we were all starving.