I'm wondering if you have (or have ever had) any kind of political analysis of this topic. Truly: no judgement if you don't, just curious. Maybe the realm of what is labeled 'political' is un-useful or alienating for your angle? I just want to know your relationship, if any, to the realm of politics, because the majority of people I read on these topics are coming from anarchist or socialist perspectives, although I really think 'work-as-identity' is something that affects all of us regardless of political affiliations. ... For context: i'm a dumbphone person, and always will appreciate the generous work you have put into the dumbphone community... You have already been a huge help to an unknown number of people in this world, and you have shared a lot of concrete knowledge with an unmeasurable community of strangers... and that is something deserving of real respect imo.
Also yes, condolences for your loss and great appreciation for your willingness to share thought processes.
Here are some thoughts that come to mind: From a political standpoint, I think both major parties in the United States are contributing to this issue. They usually frame it to their convenience. Republicans do it as an emphasis on personal responsibility with rhetoric such as, "Get a better job" or "that's what the free market is there for." Democrats, on the other hand, remove personal responsibility and blame it on structural inequalities. They suggest fixes such as UBI (Universal Basic Income) or equal pay for equal work (with more taxation and social services).
Both major parties have a point and the truth lies somewhere in the middle (as most things politics). There are structural and personal responsibility issues that keep perpetuating disparity among people, but the issue at hand is not money related in my view. What I see is people deriving their value from work (something that both parties desire for their own self perpetuating reasons) instead of their own interests and enjoyment. At the same time, I don't see any major political party in the US advocating for a different model of work that doesn't eat up 1/3 of our week.
There is more I could say on the politics aspect and where to go, but I'll offer two examples that I think create a good distinction of work as something important but not all consuming. In France, workers should not receive emails after 6 pm (https://www.theguardian.com/money/shortcuts/2014/apr/09/french-6pm-labour-agreement-work-emails-out-of-office). This is a structural solution that also creates clear expectation for the labor hours. When you are on the clock, work hard. Off the clock, we won't bother you because you already worked hard. The French 6pm rule is just an ideal and many workers are still being exploited or receive communications after 6, but it is a step in the right direction to make a clear boundary between work and life.
A second example comes in the 4 day work week (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/12/a-4-day-workweek-is-the-norm-in-iceland-could-the-us-follow-.html). The reports have been increasingly encouraging in regards to these new (old) ideas about working. I believe they are better suited for project based jobs, but it could be amazing to see people using more of their time to experience life and not just live a little bit of it.
At the root of it all is impatience though. America (and the globalized world) has an issue with waiting. As such, most of us suffer through life with the ideology that it must be done now. Instead, we should consider that it can be done later and that rushing through life is not enjoying it. A lot of thoughts and more to come haha.
I'm wondering if you have (or have ever had) any kind of political analysis of this topic. Truly: no judgement if you don't, just curious. Maybe the realm of what is labeled 'political' is un-useful or alienating for your angle? I just want to know your relationship, if any, to the realm of politics, because the majority of people I read on these topics are coming from anarchist or socialist perspectives, although I really think 'work-as-identity' is something that affects all of us regardless of political affiliations. ... For context: i'm a dumbphone person, and always will appreciate the generous work you have put into the dumbphone community... You have already been a huge help to an unknown number of people in this world, and you have shared a lot of concrete knowledge with an unmeasurable community of strangers... and that is something deserving of real respect imo.
Also yes, condolences for your loss and great appreciation for your willingness to share thought processes.
Here are some thoughts that come to mind: From a political standpoint, I think both major parties in the United States are contributing to this issue. They usually frame it to their convenience. Republicans do it as an emphasis on personal responsibility with rhetoric such as, "Get a better job" or "that's what the free market is there for." Democrats, on the other hand, remove personal responsibility and blame it on structural inequalities. They suggest fixes such as UBI (Universal Basic Income) or equal pay for equal work (with more taxation and social services).
Both major parties have a point and the truth lies somewhere in the middle (as most things politics). There are structural and personal responsibility issues that keep perpetuating disparity among people, but the issue at hand is not money related in my view. What I see is people deriving their value from work (something that both parties desire for their own self perpetuating reasons) instead of their own interests and enjoyment. At the same time, I don't see any major political party in the US advocating for a different model of work that doesn't eat up 1/3 of our week.
There is more I could say on the politics aspect and where to go, but I'll offer two examples that I think create a good distinction of work as something important but not all consuming. In France, workers should not receive emails after 6 pm (https://www.theguardian.com/money/shortcuts/2014/apr/09/french-6pm-labour-agreement-work-emails-out-of-office). This is a structural solution that also creates clear expectation for the labor hours. When you are on the clock, work hard. Off the clock, we won't bother you because you already worked hard. The French 6pm rule is just an ideal and many workers are still being exploited or receive communications after 6, but it is a step in the right direction to make a clear boundary between work and life.
A second example comes in the 4 day work week (https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/12/a-4-day-workweek-is-the-norm-in-iceland-could-the-us-follow-.html). The reports have been increasingly encouraging in regards to these new (old) ideas about working. I believe they are better suited for project based jobs, but it could be amazing to see people using more of their time to experience life and not just live a little bit of it.
At the root of it all is impatience though. America (and the globalized world) has an issue with waiting. As such, most of us suffer through life with the ideology that it must be done now. Instead, we should consider that it can be done later and that rushing through life is not enjoying it. A lot of thoughts and more to come haha.
My condolences to you and your family.
Thank you. It's been difficult, but we are making it through by being there for each other.