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A rat race is an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. It conjures up the image of the futile efforts of a lab rat trying to escape while running around a maze or in a wheel. ==History== In an analogy to the modern city, many rats in a single maze expend a lot of effort running around, but ultimately ''achieve nothing (meaningful) either collectively or individually''. This is often used in reference to work, particularly excessive or competitive work; in general terms, if one works too much, one is ''in the rat race''. This terminology contains implications that many people see work as a seemingly endless pursuit with little reward or purpose. The increased image of work as a "rat race" in modern times has led many to question their own attitudes to work and seek a better alternative; a more harmonious work-life balance. Many believe that long work hours, unpaid overtime, stressful jobs, time spent commuting, less time for family life and/or friends life, has led to a generally unhappier workforce/population unable to enjoy the benefits of increased economic prosperity and a higher standard of living. With regard to environmental problems and the tragedy of the commons, rat races occur when governments compete to have the lowest environmental standard in order to remain attractive to polluting industries. For example, if one country has a high carbon tax in order to internalize externality costs, production may mitigate to countries that have lower standards and lower costs to the country at a much higher societal cost. Thus, it becomes a race for the lowest acceptable environmental standard at high externality costs, even though individually the counties my all be better off societally if there was no such race. It is becomes a prisoners dilemma where no one wins. ''Escaping the rat race'' can have a number of different meanings: *A description of the movement, of either the ''Home'' or ''Work Location'', of previously ''City Dwellers'' or ''Workers'' to more rural locations *Retirement in general or no longer needing / having to work. *Moving from a high pressure job to a less intense role either at a different company or within the same company at an alternative location or department. *Changing to a different job that does not involve working 9 to 5 and a long commute. *Working from home. *Becoming financially independent from an employer. *Entering professions such as teaching/motivational speaking * Moving away from the city to the country and living in harmony with nature *Political unification 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「rat race」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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