Incentives

At some point in my life incentives became the main driving force for me to do anything.  I can't really say if it was my parents training me or me training my parents, but there was certainly a lot of quid pro quo going on in my childhood... and it worked!

The problem with the modern world, at least from my vantage point is the disconnect between what we do and how we get rewarded.  I don't see the money that I get for working.  Twice a month it appears in my bank account.  How much different would it be if someone came by every day, peeled off a few greenbacks, and said thanks for working today, you can go home now?

While I always thought that my parents had instilled a good work-ethic in me by which I realized the value of a dollar and the idea that hard work meant I got paid, maybe the allowance system is more in line with modern society and how it rewards workers.

My last point is that the other day I was talking with a friend about how if someone incentivized me running 10 miles by saying they'd give me a pizza at the end, I'd probably do it.  If they told me I was doing it for my health, doing it for a certificate, or even doing it for enough money to buy said pizza I'd probably say forget you.  What exactly does that say about my mindset towards incentives?