Many jobs besides academic ones generate problems that can be solved at least some of the time.
A carpenter, for example, can face interesting challenges in figuring out how to construct a piece of
furniture or repair a wall, with satisfaction that results from solving the problem. Unfortunately, the
most menial jobs, such as working at a fast-food restaurant or on a strictly regimented assembly line,
do not offer the possibilities of problem-solving satisfaction, and people suffer boredom and distress.