I would argue that we, as a species, are born to *do* things. Very few of us are ever content to sit around and do nothing (at least, not for long)- the thing is we're also intelligent enough that we want the things we *do* to feel meaningful and necessary. What feels meaningful varies from person to person.

The *problem* is that this desire to do something meaningful often comes into conflict with society and specifically the need to work to earn a living. A lot of work in our society is very lacking in meaning and/or designed to be demeaning, which leads to discontentment and slacking off. If you completely excise meaning from yourself, you become the type of person who thoughtlessly pursues material gain no matter the price paid by others.