Why Do We Work So Hard

The Tortoise, the Hare, and the Addiction to Hard Work

In Aesop’s timeless fable The Tortoise and the Hare, we meet two creatures with starkly different approaches to life. The Hare, brimming with natural talent and speed, races ahead with confidence, only to pause for a nap, certain of his victory. The Tortoise, slow but steady, plods along without rest, driven by an unwavering commitment to the task. In the end, it’s the Tortoise’s persistence—his quiet, relentless effort—that wins the race. This story, often told to children as a lesson in perseverance, subtly plants a seed: hard work is noble, admirable, even heroic. But what happens when that seed grows into an obsession, a compulsion society cheers rather than condemns? Today, we celebrate the Tortoise’s grind as a virtue, while shunning other addictions—like those to Class A drugs—as moral failings. This blog explores how working hard has become an accepted addiction, contrasting it with the stigma of illegal substances, and examines why one is lauded while the other is vilified.

The Cultural Glorification of Hard Work

Hard work is woven into the fabric of modern society. From the Protestant work ethic that fueled the Industrial Revolution to the hustle culture of the 21st century, diligence is a badge of honor. We lionize figures like Elon Musk, who famously claimed to work 120-hour weeks while building Tesla and SpaceX, or Jeff Bezos, whose early days at Amazon were marked by sleepless nights and unrelenting drive. Social media platforms like X overflow with posts extolling the virtues of “grinding”—hashtags like #HustleHard and #NoDaysOff trend regularly, often paired with images of exhausted entrepreneurs or gym-goers pushing past their limits.

This obsession isn’t just anecdotal; it’s measurable. A 2019 study by the American Psychological Association found that 66% of U.S. workers reported working beyond regular hours, with many citing pride in their dedication (APA, 2019). The World Health Organization, in a 2021 report, linked overwork to 745,000 deaths annually from stroke and heart disease, yet society rarely frames this as a crisis (WHO, 2021). Instead, we call it “passion” or “commitment.” 

The Tortoise’s slow trudge has morphed into a marathon we’re all expected to run—without stopping.

Contrast this with Class A drugs—substances like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. These are illegal in most countries, classified under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act as having “no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse” (DEA, 2023). Addiction to these drugs carries a heavy stigma: users are often labeled as weak, reckless, or morally bankrupt. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that 1.6 million Americans struggled with opioid use disorder in 2022, yet public discourse frequently focuses on punishment rather than treatment (NIDA, 2023). Why does one addiction earn applause while the other invites scorn?

The Neuroscience of Addiction: A Shared Thread

At their core, both hard work and drug use tap into the brain’s reward system. Dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation, floods the brain when we achieve a goal or ingest a stimulant. Neuroscientist Dr. Nora Volkow, director of NIDA, explains that addiction—whether to a substance or a behavior—hijacks this system, creating a feedback loop where the brain craves more of the stimulus (Volkow, 2016). For the workaholic, finishing a project or earning a promotion triggers that rush. For the drug user, it’s the high of the next hit.

A 2018 study in The Journal of Behavioral Addictions found that workaholism shares traits with substance dependency: tolerance (needing to work more to feel satisfied), withdrawal (anxiety when not working), and loss of control (inability to cut back despite harm) (Andreassen et al., 2018). 

Yet, while drug addiction is pathologized, workaholism is often normalized. Employers reward it with raises and titles; families boast about it at gatherings. The Tortoise’s steady pace has become a sprint we can’t stop running, even as it wears us down.

Societal Double Standards: Why One Addiction Prevails

The distinction lies in perception and utility. Hard work aligns with capitalist values—productivity, growth, profit. It’s an addiction that benefits society, or at least its economic engines. A 2020 Gallup poll found that 55% of Americans tied their self-worth to their job performance, a sentiment reinforced by cultural narratives of “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” (Gallup, 2020). When someone works 80 hours a week, we see ambition, not dysfunction. The physical toll—burnout, insomnia, heart strain—is brushed off as “the cost of success.”

Class A drug addiction, conversely, is seen as destructive. It drains resources, strains healthcare systems, and fuels crime—costing the U.S. $740 billion annually in lost productivity and enforcement, per NIDA (2023). Its users are rarely productive in ways society values, and their addiction lacks the veneer of purpose. Where the workaholic’s dopamine hit comes from a spreadsheet, the drug user’s comes from a needle—both are chasing relief, but only one fits the narrative of virtue.

This double standard isn’t new. Historian Max Weber, in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905), argued that hard work became a moral duty in Western culture, a sign of divine favor. Drug use, meanwhile, has long been tied to sin or degeneracy, from opium dens in the 19th century to the “war on drugs” of the 20th. Society tolerates—even encourages—addictions that serve its ends, while condemning those that don’t.

The Hidden Costs of the “Acceptable” Addiction

But the costs of workaholism are real, even if underreported. A 2022 study in The Lancet found that working more than 55 hours per week increases the risk of stroke by 35% and heart disease by 17% compared to a 40-hour week (Li et al., 2022). Mental health suffers too: burnout, recognized by the WHO as an occupational phenomenon, affects millions, yet it’s rarely treated with the urgency of substance abuse (WHO, 2019). On X, users post about “crashing” after a work binge with a mix of pride and exhaustion—#Burnout becomes a humblebrag.

Drug addiction’s toll is more visible: overdoses, incarceration, broken families. The CDC reported 107,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2022, a stark statistic that demands attention (CDC, 2023). Yet both addictions erode lives—one quietly, one loudly. 

The Tortoise’s victory came at no apparent cost in Aesop’s tale, but in reality, relentless effort exacts a price we’re reluctant to acknowledge.

Bridging the Gap: Reframing Addiction

Perhaps it’s time to rethink both. If workaholism and drug addiction share neurological roots, why not approach them with similar compassion? Programs like Narcotics Anonymous emphasize community and accountability—couldn’t “Workaholics Anonymous,” which exists in small pockets, gain traction? A 2021 article in Psychology Today suggests that reframing workaholism as a behavioral addiction could destigmatize seeking help (Sussman, 2021). Meanwhile, decriminalizing drug use, as Portugal did in 2001, has reduced overdoses and shifted focus to treatment (Transform, 2023).

Society could learn from the Tortoise and the Hare: balance matters. The Hare’s laziness lost him the race, but the Tortoise’s single-mindedness hints at a deeper question—what did he sacrifice to win?

In the end, hard work is an addiction we’ve dressed up as a virtue, while Class A drugs bear the weight of our judgment. Both reshape lives, both carry costs, yet only one is celebrated. As 20th-century philosopher Albert Camus once wrote:

“Without work, all life goes rotten, but when work is soulless, life stifles and dies.” 

His words remind us that effort without meaning—or moderation—can be as hollow as any vice. Maybe it’s time we stop running the race just to say we finished.

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Author

Campbell Kitts

References

American Psychological Association (APA). (2019). Stress in America Survey.

Andreassen, C. S., et al. (2018). “The Relationships Between Workaholism and Symptoms of Psychiatric Disorders.” Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(3), 636-645.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2023). Drug Overdose Deaths in the U.S.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). (2023). Controlled Substances Act Overview.

Gallup. (2020). Work and Wellbeing Survey.

Li, J., et al. (2022). “Long Working Hours and Health Outcomes.” The Lancet, 399(10332), 1234-1245.

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2023). Trends & Statistics.

Sussman, S. (2021). “Workaholism: An Addiction We Don’t Talk About.” Psychology Today.

Transform Drug Policy Foundation. (2023). Portugal’s Decriminalization Model.

Volkow, N. D. (2016). “The Neural Basis of Addiction.” Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 17(3), 160-170.

Weber, M. (1905). The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

World Health Organization (WHO). (2019). Burn-out an Occupational Phenomenon.

World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Long Working Hours Increasing Deaths.