Generic Phrases

What does the phrase "You don't work to live, but live to work" mean to you?

the "you" is generic. like the general public or something. How would you interpret this phrase?

Public Comments

1. This describes American culture exactly. We are so obsessed with money, all we do is work work work, instead of enjoying other parts of life. This is the ideology of capitalism that is thrust onto our society.
2. Another first! I only ever heard it as 'eat', not 'work'.
3. means..the live is for work! work to increase, to improve, to develop....in this live we have to look for a job (work to earn lot of money for survivor) and the work doesnt looking for you!
4. Apparently that's a phrase used to describe Americans. I think we're developing an inferiority complex towards the europeans or something. I don't know of any Americans that work because they enjoy it, they work because they have to. Americans are hard workers and if they could get away with working as little as europeans do I'm sure they would. They always have these rankings of which countries that work the most hours and America is usually on that list. Then people always use that saying against us (Americans). Hello! People work when their bosses tell them to work! Unless they want to be unemployed, they don't have a choice! Europeans are said to work just enough to live their life happily, even if it's without all the "extra" stuff that costs money.
5. It means about as much as, "You don't eat to live, you live to eat."
6. The phrase implies that work is so important to you that it has become your reason for living. Usually used as a pejorative, it suggests that for you, family, friends, recreation and everything else now take second place to work. People like this often die soon after they retire, more than occasionally by their own hand.
7. You could also look at it as a positive thing. Rather than working to live (make a living), you could be living to work because your work is your life. Some people are fortunate enough to think of their work as their purpose in life. When it has that kind of meaning, it is no longer work. Think of people who did great things with their lives, like Einstein or Mother Theresa. Their lives were their work.
8. I would interpret that phrase to mean that work has been changed from a means of support of life and lifestyle to the purpose for living. Though I dont know the context of the quote it could be seen positively because some people love their jobs and its the reason they get up in the morning.