Careerism is the idea of concentrating your “being the best you can be” efforts on your workplace or work activities, your work setting. Careerism is fairly wide spread along with its modern sibling consumerism which is the idea that satisfaction in life is best obtained from buying stuff and services. Together they compliment each other well and they are so pervasive in modern society that we tend to forget that other goals exist.
There is no rule that says that that worth must be seen in an occupational context. One could just as easily see it with a family setting (how good a mother, husband, or uncle are you), where success, for instance, as a parent could be determined by how well the children turned out or your success as a spouse depends on how successful one’s spouse turns out — self-referential I know. Similarly, worth could be seen in a personal setting defined by personal goals such as happiness, actualization, money, fame, power, contributing to society, or making a difference.
Instead of focusing on, say, your family, your avocational activities, or community activities, the goal for a careerist is to…. (Read the rest at:)