I suspect this is cultural deritrtitus - I'm not American and I don't hold hear this belief echoed loudly in the religions around me - but it is still true. Fu

I suspect this is cultural deritrtitus - I'm not American and I don't hold hear this belief echoed loudly in the religions around me - but it is still true. Furthermore there's enough psych studies which show that human beings crave and feel rewarded when they focus on a task and achieve mastery. Working towards a common goal is one of the known methods of reducing intergroup and inter tribe friction. Work also is often rewarding - people do tasks they enjoy being excellent at, and people reward them for that excellence. Your experience is the other end of that spectrum - being rewarded to do something you otherwise wouldn't.