Our lives are constructed not just around home and family but also around our workplace and co-workers. Many people today feel a stronger sense of identity from their occupation than from their ethnic background or religion. Industries have shaped towns and local culture, as well as family identity. A former glassblower once said, "If you grew up in Millville, you were raised on glass." In the workplace, knowledge and skills for the job are passed from one generation of workers to the next. Workers sometimes develop special vocabularies or jargon that may seem like a foreign language to onlookers.
There is a close tie between work and play in contemporary life. As society has moved from a craft-based to industrial and now to service-based economy, many of the craft skills of earlier eras have been revived as hobbies. On the other hand, a skill learned and used at work may be used creatively during personal time. A technology specialist may enjoy making videos for friends and family. A mechanic might create sculpture from discarded auto parts. However expressed, work is an important dimension of one's identity and an important source of community membership.
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