[ripplefringe]

Something that I feel like I disagree with here is that it doesn't take into account all the intangibles that you get from working hard. Personally I work hard and I feel like I get:

* Appreciation from my manager and team, who I respect and love working with. * New knowledge that I can use later, and possibly build trust with others. * Influence that I can use later * The good feeling knowing I solved a problem for my business and hopefully letting them spend that money or effort elsewhere. * Some sense of job security

This is probably a very Pollyanna view of the world, and maybe it's all because I have a good team and manager. But nevertheless, I feel like I hit the lottery as a programmer. It's enjoyable, the work changes day-to-day and it pays well.