be industrious

Six-year-olds like to be industrious and independent, and they feel good when they contribute in a real way.

We began to believe that if someone is not credentialed, they must not be industrious.

“I gave Teddy my own number: 322. There are certain times when it’s good to be smart and certain times when it’s good to be industrious, but that night it was good to be lucky.”

In one scene, a group in matching jumpsuits sit in a classroom studying instructions on how to behave in society: “At all times I should be civilised, honest, respect my elders … obey laws, dress neatly, love work … and be industrious and frugal.”

On the job seeker side of the equation, candidates tend to be very interested in what a gig pays—which makes sense, since most people aren’t seeking jobs out of the kindness of their hearts or a desire to be industrious.