From the time we begin school to when we start our careers to our eventual retirement, we as Americans are groomed to become “productive members of society.” Though this phrase carries different weight and meaning depending on who you are, at it’s core, the word “productive” narrows a focus on to the outcomes a person generates rather than who the person is and the process they may have taken to achieve said outcomes. To be considered a productive member of society one must wake up, put on their slacks and button-downs, work eight to 10 hours within their cubicle and expend all of their energy finishing as many daily tasks until it is time to go home to prepare to do it all over again. While there is great value in working hard and being financially responsible, this focus on financial security and economic investment as a means of participation within society has the potential to sow indifference and detachment to one’s work and community. By burning through the hours of each day checking as many things off of a to-do list as possible, we may be being productive but are we truly participating members in society?
As someone with a fascination for language and it’s nuances, I find that it is crucial to establish a new word or phrase that will supersede the focus on productivity. That word being: engagement. By nature, to be engaged with something is for one to be involved and to have said thing capture their attention and focus. Engagement indicates a deeper level of thought and intention than that of sheer productivity. This may take the shape of mindfully focusing on each step of the work task at hand rather than trying to get the most done in the quickest amount of time. However, particularly unrelated to work, one should look to engage with one’s outside environment and the people within it. An engaged member of society will seek deeper bonds with people in order to understand other perspectives than one’s own. An engaged member of society will take the time to educate oneself, form an opinion, and participate civically. In other words, an engaged member of society will be given the time and the capacity to critically think and act within the world around them for true betterment of society.
It is important to recognize that to be an engaged individual, as I’ve defined it, in today’s production-based world is an immense privilege. It is not something that one can freely choose to do as there are many who work in said environments as means of survival and providing for oneself and family. However, for those, such as us at SLU, who have the means of time and space to both produce and engage completely within society, it is critical that we use our resources to learn and make decisions that lead to an equitable society based on empowerment and connection rather than hourly wages and goods produced.