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A growing number of people think their job is useless. Time to rethink the meaning of work
A growing number of workers are increasingly dissatisfied and underwhelmed with their seemingly fancy job profiles as bankers, tax-advisors, and all the garden variety managers, whose job is to add to the bottom line of a company.
These kinds of jobs don't add value to the world and serve no real purpose.
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SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
6
Key Ideas
Our culture claims that work is unavoidable and natural. The idea that the world can be freed from work, wholly or in part, has been suppressed for as long as capitalism has existed.
The work ideology is not natural nor very old.
6
Key Ideas
What working a decent job means is slowing losing ground, as we are not deriving meaning from our work.
Having a job means getting paid for our talents, but it may not be the case for many. Work ethic is supposed to provide us a good life, but in reality, the opposite is happening.
Most workers rely on the whims and fancies of the so-called 'Job Creators', a class of people who own a business and can employ staff. Job creators hold power on the worker's time, behavior and conditions of employment.
These employers also monitor and sanction what workers post on social media, what they eat or drink, how frequently and for how long are they going to the bathroom, and what are their political leanings.
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Key Ideas
Since the 16th-century Protestant Reformation spawned the work ethic, many believe that the job gives meaning, purpose, and structure to their lives. More than 50 percent of American workers tod...
Meaning may be found in self-transcendence (or devoting one’s efforts and energies to something beyond oneself).
Though there are many ways to become part of something bigger, two of the most powerful ways are pursuing mastery and performing acts of kindness.
Aristotle wrote that the fundamental part of a meaningful life is found in mastery, be it art, intellect, or athletics. Pursuing excellence is not always pleasant and requires exertion, not constant entertainment.
A study found that people who continually developed themselves scored higher on assessments of life satisfaction and self-esteem than those who did not.