Originally published at: Why our brains still struggle with between work, leisure, and the concept of time | Boing Boing
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Late-stage capitalism definitely takes advantage of this struggle, mainly because the toxic Protestant Work Ethic alone couldn’t satisfy its voracious needs.
My own struggle is between genuinely enjoying my work (a huge privilege) and my natural bent toward Dudeism.
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Because of in on stroke?
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Nap time! That’s my answer to any and all daily drudgery.
P.S. I am retired after-all…
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If there were only ONE ethic I would like the effing Protestants to lose, it would be that work one!
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Especially in the way it was an “ethic” used as a cudgel to hammer the “other.”
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The “Sunday Scaries” reminds me of a George Carlin bit where he’d be enjoying the weekend until the Ed Sullivan Show came on Sunday evening - one look at Sullivan’s face and all he could of was: school tomorrow.
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Why shouldn’t it be?
Most peoples’ lives during the work-week genuinely suck, whether it’s dealing with the drudgery of education, or a job/boss/career they hate. The end of the semi-vacation that is the weeked signals that Reality is back, once again.
Given the documented decoupling of wages vs. productivity in this country over the past 40 years & the consequent decline of earning power vs. inflation, it is no mystery that ‘working to live’ is the predominant ethos.
You are wise to recognize it as a huge privilege; the downside of having a job you like is that it makes later jobs far less tolerable in comparison. BTDT.
Of course, don’t let it jeopardise a job you like, but there’s no reason not to embrace your inner Dude.
It makes the shitty jobs more tolerable & it shows the PWE for the folly that it is.
Of course, that’s just, like… my opinion, man…
I can’t remember if it was ‘Bonanza’ or ‘Gunsmoke’ that used to come on Sunday evenings, but the closing theme was the same sense of dread.
@Papasan
I don’t care if that opinion is unpopular, I agree with every word of it.
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On top of that, businesses have been increasingly encroaching on people’s personal lives and time. They’ve turned technology into both a blessing and a curse. We’ve seen so many articles on folks who cannot take a real vacation, because someone from the job keeps calling, emailing, or texting them. They’ve been conditioned not to push back, and led to fear losing a job because of the high cost of living.
Marketers want data about people and their habits, so social media is built on techniques to keep people engaged to the point they are more wrapped up in their virtual lives than their actual lives. Entire platforms are full of content generated by people who seem more concerned about taking pictures of their food, clothing, or surroundings that actually enjoying them. Of course, some of this has become people’s jobs, but what percentage? At what point for the hobbyist does it change from fun into something they feel obligated to do? This type of engagement and marketing also feeds into convincing people to spend beyond their means, which keeps them firmly under their employers’ thumb.
I was lucky enough to benefit from tech and work remotely for about a decade. Still, there were managers who hated that, because getting the job done wasn’t enough. They wanted to be able to micro-manage people in person. Now, there are firms who’ve invested in monitoring keystrokes, as well as using cameras and microphones to ensure their worker bees aren’t slacking off on company time. They’re even finding ways to attack the savings and benefits to workers that come from using conferencing software, and cannot wait to drag them all back into the office as soon as possible.
It’s no mystery why the lines have been blurred so badly. Companies benefit at people’s expense, and convince us to assign dollar amounts to hours of effort. I just wonder how much more abuse workers will take before they figure out the game and start playing on their own terms. Time is precious, because once it is spent we cannot get it back.
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For childcare purposes during the pandemic, I’ve had to stop working. We’re very fortunate that we were able to manage scaling back to do so. One of the best things to happen since then was the elimination of the “Sunday Scariest.” Seriously, it’s a type of dread I wish I could free everyone from. I’ve new stresses because of this change, but somehow they don’t feel as bad.
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Not just the COL, but also any company-paid medical insurance they might have.
THIS is why TPTB fight so savagely against Medicare For All… they don’t want to give up that particuar power they have over the Serfs.
Why, the Serfs might actually get the idea that they don’t have to put up with abuse by their rightful owner, & go elsewhere!
The horror!
Good question.
I wonder why the mere concept of a General Strike is so… inconceivable to people in this country.
Well, no, I don’t… not really…
It boils down to Propaganda; the whole ‘work hard enough & you can do anything in America!’ line of booshwa we have all heard. Sure it’s true… just often enough to give the Rubes some hope
that if they can dig that ditch deeper & faster, then they will rise to the Top of the Heap.
Chances are, though, you will die a Ditch Digger. Most people that rise thru the ranks are bullshit artists.
HWSNBN would be a prime example.
Excellent points, @PsiPhiGrrrl !
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A sad but completely on the mark observation. Sigh.
It’s funny, throughout my mid-20’s to mid-30’s I would go out and party up a storm on Monday nights. Just happy to get through another Monday. Paid for it on Tuesdays but that never fazed me.
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