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Zespół The Blue Tree
THE BLUE TREE
Man & Society
CEFR B2
Upper
Intermediate
warm up
Answer the questions below. Listen to same people answering these questions. Report back or read the transcript to practise speaking.
| Why do we work so hard, in your opinion? Is it really serving us well to work so much? |
TRANSCRIPT
“I think we work so hard because society tells us that success comes from working long hours. Many people believe that if they stop pushing themselves, they will fall behind. Of course, hard work can bring success, but I’m not sure if it really serves us well to work so much. Many people are exhausted and don’t have time for their families or hobbies. I think balance is important. Working hard is good, but we should also enjoy life.”
| How would your life be different if you didn’t have to work so much every day? |
TRANSCRIPT
“If I didn’t have to work so much every day, my life would be completely different. First of all, I’d have more time for things I actually enjoy—traveling, reading, and spending time with friends. I’d also focus more on my health, maybe start exercising regularly instead of just sitting at a desk all day. But honestly, I think I’d still want to do something meaningful. Even if I didn’t need to work for money, I’d probably find a way to stay productive, maybe by volunteering or learning new skills. I just wouldn’t want to feel trapped in a never-ending work cycle.”
| Some people argue that we should find our calling. Do you believe you have already found yours? |
TRANSCRIPT
“I think finding a calling is not as simple as people make it sound. Some people know from a young age what they want to do, but for most of us, it’s a journey. I wouldn’t say I’ve completely found mine yet, but I’m getting closer. I enjoy my work, and it gives me a sense of purpose, but I also believe that a calling isn’t just about a job. It’s about the impact we make and the way we grow. Maybe our calling changes over time, and that’s okay. Right now, I’m focusing on learning and seeing where life takes me.”
part one
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the first part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
- ⌚ 0:11 What had Andres done four years before he made this video?
- ⌚ 0:15 How did he feel about this step?
- ⌚ 0:26 What was he looking forward to?
- ⌚ 0:30 What question did he ask himself?
- ⌚ 0:57 What kind of boss was he for himself?
- ⌚ 1:05 What question does Andres want to answer in this video?
part two
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the first part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
- ⌚ 1:43 What is “traditional work ethic”?
- ⌚ 2:04 How did Aristotle exemplify this ethic?
- ⌚ 2:11 What is “Eudaimonia”?
- ⌚ 2:19 What does the latin word for business “Negotium” literary mean?
- ⌚ 2:39 What did Thomas Aquinas think about work?
part three
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the third part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
- ⌚ 3:14 How did Luther and Calvin change this “Traditional Work Ethic”?
- ⌚ 3:43 What does “Protestant Work Ethic” entail?
- ⌚ 3:53 What did Erich Fromm say about this new work ethic?
- ⌚ 4:17 What did one business owner complain about in 1694?
- ⌚ 4:50 What did Oprah Winfrey say about our calling?
part four
KEY LANGUAGE
Go through the flashcards below. Make sure you understand all the words and expressions.
VIDEO
Watch the fourth part of the video.
COMPREHENSION
Answer these questions. Refer to the information from the video.
- ⌚ 5:08 How did companies leverage this work ethic?
- ⌚ 5:45 How did Simon Sinek explain this?
- ⌚ 6:03 How is this trend visible in politics?
- ⌚ 6:42 What are modern “slaves”?
- ⌚ 7:07 What does “enduring the tedium of scheduled life” mean for you?
- ⌚ 7:18 Does Andres think the Protestant Work Ethic serve us well?
POLL
Cast your vote in the poll.
DISCUSSION
Why we work so much
Alita, Pete, Kat and Rob are talking about the ideas from this lesson. They are in a restaurant. It’s Pete’s seventh anniversary of joining the bank. They share their views on what kind of bosses they were for each other. Rob is the only one working as freelance consultant.
Read their dialogue. Whose views do you lean towards?
[Scene: A cozy restaurant with a warm atmosphere. Alita, Pete, Kat, and Rob are sitting at a table, enjoying a meal together. It’s Pete’s seventh anniversary of joining the bank, and they are reminiscing about work and discussing the ideas from their recent lesson.]
Alita: Pete, congratulations on seven years at the bank! That’s quite an achievement. How does it feel?
Pete: Thanks, Alita! Honestly, it’s strange. Seven years feels like a long time, but it also went by so fast. I’ve learned a lot, but sometimes I wonder if I’m just going through the motions.
Kat: I know what you mean. We spend so much time working that it becomes our identity. Do you ever feel like you’re working too much?
Pete: Oh, absolutely! But that’s how it is, right? We’ve been raised to believe that hard work is the path to success. The Protestant work ethic and all that.
Rob: [chuckles] You sound like someone from our lesson! But you’re not wrong. The idea that work defines us is so ingrained. That’s part of why I left the corporate world—I wanted work to serve me, not the other way around.
Alita: That’s brave, Rob. I sometimes wish I had the courage to do the same. But honestly, I like structure. I like knowing what I’m supposed to do and where my career is heading.
Kat: That’s interesting. Do you think you would still feel that way if you didn’t have great bosses? Speaking of which, Pete, you’ve worked with all of us. What kind of bosses were we for each other?
Pete: Oh, this could get awkward! [laughs] Okay, let’s see. Alita, you were always super organized and supportive, but sometimes I felt like you worried too much about getting everything perfect.
Alita: Guilty as charged. I just like things to be in order!
Pete: Kat, you were the most strategic. You saw the big picture, but sometimes I felt like you expected us to keep up with your pace even when we didn’t have all the details.
Kat: Fair enough. I do tend to move quickly and assume others will figure things out along the way.
Rob: And what about me, Pete? I was never your boss, but I bet you have an opinion.
Pete: Oh, definitely! Rob, you were always the free spirit—the one who questioned why things were done a certain way. Honestly, sometimes it was frustrating, but looking back, I see that you were just trying to challenge the system.
Rob: Exactly! I think work should be meaningful. If we’re going to spend so much time doing it, we should at least question whether it makes sense.
Kat: That’s a good point. I’ve been thinking about this lately—how much of our work is actually necessary, and how much is just keeping us busy?
Alita: That reminds me of what we discussed in the lesson. Maybe the old work ethic isn’t serving us anymore. Maybe we need a new way of thinking about work.
Rob: Agreed. I think the key is balance. Work should be a means to an end, not our entire identity.
Pete: I like that. Maybe for my next seven years, I’ll try to focus more on balance. And who knows? Maybe I’ll take a page from Rob’s book and explore something different.
Kat: That’s the spirit! But first, let’s raise a glass to your seven years. Cheers to work, life, and finding meaning in both!
[They all raise their glasses, laughing and enjoying the moment.]
OVER TO YOU
Discuss these questions.
 | Do you think work should define who we are, or should it just be a means to an end? Why? |
| If you could design your ideal work-life balance, what would it look like? |
| Have you ever had a boss or colleague who influenced the way you see work? What did they teach you? |
| Do you believe that people work too much nowadays? What do you think would be a better approach? |
| If money wasn’t an issue, what kind of work (if any) would you still want to do? |
COMMENTS
What do you think of the ideas presented in this lesson?
Share your views and experience here.
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