1/ Let's talk about our work beliefs. The hidden forces shaping a lot of our modern reality.
Many people never think about their relationship to work and the fact that their beliefs have been around for hundreds of years
I believe there are nine "schools" of work:
Thread 👇
Many people never think about their relationship to work and the fact that their beliefs have been around for hundreds of years
I believe there are nine "schools" of work:
Thread 👇
2/ These nine schools are:
Pre-1800s:
1. Catholic Work Ethic
2. Protestant Work Ethic
Post 1800s:
3. Gospel Of Wealth
4. Meaningful Work
5. Paid gifts
6. Unpaid gifts
7. Hustle
8. Everything is work
9. Post-work
think-boundless.com/schools-of-wor…
Pre-1800s:
1. Catholic Work Ethic
2. Protestant Work Ethic
Post 1800s:
3. Gospel Of Wealth
4. Meaningful Work
5. Paid gifts
6. Unpaid gifts
7. Hustle
8. Everything is work
9. Post-work
think-boundless.com/schools-of-wor…
3/ CATHOLIC
Work is "toil", but necessary:
From the Bible “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.– Genesis 3:17
Work is "toil", but necessary:
From the Bible “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.– Genesis 3:17
4/ From @andrewjtaggart:
‘Catholic view of work’ sees work, while not the worst sort of thing one could do, as middling and bearably tolerable at best."
However, "He who shall not work shall not eat" – St Paul
qz.com/work/1222017/t…
‘Catholic view of work’ sees work, while not the worst sort of thing one could do, as middling and bearably tolerable at best."
However, "He who shall not work shall not eat" – St Paul
qz.com/work/1222017/t…
5/ PROTESTANT: Max Weber detailed the protestant reformation and its impact on work in his famous book. He gave credit to a new way of thinking about work to religion:
"the chances of overcoming traditionalism are greatest on account of the religious upbringing."
"the chances of overcoming traditionalism are greatest on account of the religious upbringing."
6/ Traditionalism was a general attitude that one should only work as hard as they need to meet their needs.
John Calvin helped cement the idea of a "calling" - this shifted work up the hierarchy of importance to become an end in itself instead of just an instrumental act.
John Calvin helped cement the idea of a "calling" - this shifted work up the hierarchy of importance to become an end in itself instead of just an instrumental act.
7/ Weber believed people learned this new belief:
"Labour must, on the contrary, be performed as if it were an absolute end in itself, a calling...It cannot be evoked by low wages or high ones alone, but can only be the product of a long and arduous process of education."
"Labour must, on the contrary, be performed as if it were an absolute end in itself, a calling...It cannot be evoked by low wages or high ones alone, but can only be the product of a long and arduous process of education."
8/ Thomas Carlyle summarizes this in the 1800s
"All true Work is sacred; in all true Work, were it but true hand-labour, there is something of divineness. Labour, wide as the Earth, has its summit in Heaven."
Worth nothing that Carlye loved work & had like 7-10 gigs.
"All true Work is sacred; in all true Work, were it but true hand-labour, there is something of divineness. Labour, wide as the Earth, has its summit in Heaven."
Worth nothing that Carlye loved work & had like 7-10 gigs.
9/ GOSPEL OF WEALTH
In the 1800s as soon as the infrastructure for acquiring unprecedented wealth emerged, the people who amassed that wealth needed new beliefs. Why?
Up to that point, labor was still seen as more important than money.
In the 1800s as soon as the infrastructure for acquiring unprecedented wealth emerged, the people who amassed that wealth needed new beliefs. Why?
Up to that point, labor was still seen as more important than money.
10/ Abraham Lincoln asserted this in his 1861 SOTU:
"labor is prior to and independent of capital. capital is only the fruit of the labor and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. labor is the superior of capital and deserves much the higher consideration"
"labor is prior to and independent of capital. capital is only the fruit of the labor and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. labor is the superior of capital and deserves much the higher consideration"
11/ However, Andrew Carnegie wanted to shift this.
In his book, The Gospel of Wealth (really) he articulates a case for why very very very rich people like him should be held in high esteem.
In his book, The Gospel of Wealth (really) he articulates a case for why very very very rich people like him should be held in high esteem.
12/ He felt that the money incentive enabled productivity improvements and philanthropic donations that made the world better.
@AnandWrites has hotter takes on whether this was a good thing, but this signaled a profound shift, elevating making money over laboring itself.
@AnandWrites has hotter takes on whether this was a good thing, but this signaled a profound shift, elevating making money over laboring itself.
13/ Here is Carnegie again: "Today the world obtains commodities of excellent quality at prices which even the generation preceding this would have deemed incredible"
The main argument being that wealth creation is good because it gives us productivity gains and cheaper stuff
The main argument being that wealth creation is good because it gives us productivity gains and cheaper stuff
14/ Weber captured this new reality in the early 1900s:
"Man is dominated by the making of money, by acquisition as the ultimate purpose of his life. Economic acquisition is no longer subordinated to man as the means for the satisfaction of his material needs"
"Man is dominated by the making of money, by acquisition as the ultimate purpose of his life. Economic acquisition is no longer subordinated to man as the means for the satisfaction of his material needs"
15/ MODERN WORK ETHICS: MEANINGFUL WORK
The modern version of the "calling" gradually shed the religious virtues:
"Out went the Protestant ethic’s prudence, thrift, temperance, self-discipline, and deferral of gratification."
city-journal.org/html/whatever-…
The modern version of the "calling" gradually shed the religious virtues:
"Out went the Protestant ethic’s prudence, thrift, temperance, self-discipline, and deferral of gratification."
city-journal.org/html/whatever-…
16/ Jim Collins articulates the importance of meaningful work in the modern world
“For, in the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work” @level5leaders
“For, in the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work” @level5leaders
17/ @amywrzesniewski has helped popularize the modern calling through her research.
"In accord with our predictions, we presented, evidence indicating highest life and work satisfaction for respondents who see their work as a Calling"
researchgate.net/publication/24…
"In accord with our predictions, we presented, evidence indicating highest life and work satisfaction for respondents who see their work as a Calling"
researchgate.net/publication/24…
18/ @Oprah supports this view too:
"I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint"
"I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint"
19/ As a modern knowledge worker you accept the wisdom of meaningful work so deeply, that you'd probably take a massive pay cut to get it:
“forego 23% of their entire future lifetime earnings in order to have a job that was always meaningful.”
hbr.org/2018/11/9-out-…
“forego 23% of their entire future lifetime earnings in order to have a job that was always meaningful.”
hbr.org/2018/11/9-out-…
20/ The article talks about it in religious zeal:
"Meaningful work only has upsides. Employees work harder and quit less...The value of meaning to both individual employees, and to organizations, stands waiting, ready to be captured by organizations prepared to act"
"Meaningful work only has upsides. Employees work harder and quit less...The value of meaning to both individual employees, and to organizations, stands waiting, ready to be captured by organizations prepared to act"
21/ PAID FOR YOUR GIFTS
This is a remix of the modern calling and focuses on the individual. This has taken off as the modern career has become atomized and people look to work to show how unique they are.
This is a remix of the modern calling and focuses on the individual. This has taken off as the modern career has become atomized and people look to work to show how unique they are.
22/ However this one often falls into a trap of wishful thinking rather and multi-colored venn diagrams rather than anything with a firm foundation.
The best example of this is Ikigai.
The best example of this is Ikigai.
23/ Kyle has done a good job of showing that Ikigai has nothing to do work with @SlowwCo
"But in Japan, ikigai is a slower process and often has nothing to do with work or income.
sloww.co/ikigai/
"But in Japan, ikigai is a slower process and often has nothing to do with work or income.
sloww.co/ikigai/
24/ From popular self-help author Elizabeth Gilbert:
“the central question upon which all creative living hinges: Do you have the courage to bring forth the treasures that are hidden within you?”
nytimes.com/2019/01/31/mag…
“the central question upon which all creative living hinges: Do you have the courage to bring forth the treasures that are hidden within you?”
nytimes.com/2019/01/31/mag…
25/ THE UNPAID EXPRESSION OF GIFTS - This modern iteration on meaningful work removes the wishful thinking of paid employment, but still identifies special gifts that each of us have to offer
This is often a mindset many embrace after becoming disillusioned with meaningful work
This is often a mindset many embrace after becoming disillusioned with meaningful work
26/ Here is an early endorsement of this view from Marie Curie
"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."
"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."
27/ From Poet and former non-profit employee @whytedw
"At that center we work because we love our work, and we love our work because we have chosen the right work, the work to which we belong."
"At that center we work because we love our work, and we love our work because we have chosen the right work, the work to which we belong."
28/ And @ceisenstein
"In right livelihood, then, I suggest that we orient ourselves toward our need and desire to give. I suggest that we look at the world with eyes of, “What opportunity is there to give?” and “How may I best give of my gifts?"
"In right livelihood, then, I suggest that we orient ourselves toward our need and desire to give. I suggest that we look at the world with eyes of, “What opportunity is there to give?” and “How may I best give of my gifts?"
29/ It's worth noting that it can be very hard shifting backwards from the idea that you need to get paid for something to then giving things away as a gift. This is something I've struggled to experiment with in my own gift economy experiments.
think-boundless.com/experiments-in…
think-boundless.com/experiments-in…
30/ HUSTLE
As we have seen, prior to the 1500s work was necessary suffering, but only to reach other ends. When work became an end in itself and money became more important than labor, the foundation for the 100-hour hustle bro was born.
HUSTLE = Catholic + Gospel of Wealth
As we have seen, prior to the 1500s work was necessary suffering, but only to reach other ends. When work became an end in itself and money became more important than labor, the foundation for the 100-hour hustle bro was born.
HUSTLE = Catholic + Gospel of Wealth
31/ de Tocuqeville saw this in the US in 1800s:
“a wealthy man thinks that he owes it to public opinion to devote his leisure to some kind of industrial or commercial pursuit, or to public business. He would think himself in bad repute if he employed his life solely in living.”
“a wealthy man thinks that he owes it to public opinion to devote his leisure to some kind of industrial or commercial pursuit, or to public business. He would think himself in bad repute if he employed his life solely in living.”
32/ Hustle's roots in the US West (1893)
"...the word “hustle.” We have caught it in the East, but we use it humorously, just as we once used the Southern word “skedaddle” but out West the word hustle is not only a serious term, it is the most serious..."
etymonline.com/word/hustle#et…
"...the word “hustle.” We have caught it in the East, but we use it humorously, just as we once used the Southern word “skedaddle” but out West the word hustle is not only a serious term, it is the most serious..."
etymonline.com/word/hustle#et…
34/ Jack Ma channels some work is suffering vibes with the modern hustle ethic:
"I personally think that 996 is a huge blessing...How do you achieve the success you want without paying extra effort and time?"
"I personally think that 996 is a huge blessing...How do you achieve the success you want without paying extra effort and time?"
35/ Every six months there is a twitter debate about whether or not 80-hour workweeks are crazy.
To me this is a silly argument. Most people can choose to work crazy hours. People should be allowed to.
What's more interesting is asking why they do it?
To me this is a silly argument. Most people can choose to work crazy hours. People should be allowed to.
What's more interesting is asking why they do it?
36/ Gary V says hustling "is putting every minute and all your effort into achieving the goal at hand. Every minute needs to count. There is so much hustle in my day I don’t even have a second to spare to “hang out” and catch up with the people around me”
Work eats everything...
Work eats everything...
37/ EVERYTHING IS WORK
This is a less of a "school" of work beliefs and more of a deeper belief upon which everything else rests. It is the result of all the previous work beliefs and taken as absolute truth and it necessitates we define everything as work
This is a less of a "school" of work beliefs and more of a deeper belief upon which everything else rests. It is the result of all the previous work beliefs and taken as absolute truth and it necessitates we define everything as work
38/ "the general enthusiasm for describing things as work is more widespread. Marriage, we’re endlessly informed by relationship gurus and divorcing celebrities, is work. Parenting is “the hardest job in the world”
theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2…
theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2…
39/ This has often been well-intended, for example, In 1972 there was a social movement pushing for “Wages For Housework” in Italy that sought to broaden the definition of labor that later was popular for a period in the United States.
Many UBI proposals intend to pay caretakers
Many UBI proposals intend to pay caretakers
40/ Andre Gorz has written on how our "wage-based world" has defined work:
"it has to be a job, a profession: that is to say, the deployment of institutionally certified skills according to approved procedures"
We then try to everything into something that can be called work.
"it has to be a job, a profession: that is to say, the deployment of institutionally certified skills according to approved procedures"
We then try to everything into something that can be called work.
41/ Josef Pieper started questioning this in post-WWII Germany, defining the worker as "an outwardly directed, active power; an aimless readiness to suffer pain; an untiring insertion into the rationalized program of useful social organization."
Suffering + Work as an End
Suffering + Work as an End
42/ Pieper felt that work was crowding out leisure, which he defined:
"It is not the same as the absence of activity; it is not the same thing as quiet, or even as an inner quiet. It is rather like the stillness in the conversation of lovers, which is fed by their oneness."
"It is not the same as the absence of activity; it is not the same thing as quiet, or even as an inner quiet. It is rather like the stillness in the conversation of lovers, which is fed by their oneness."
43/ More Pieper: "Leisure is the disposition of receptive understanding, of contemplative, beholding, and immersion – in the real. In leisure, there is...the serenity of ”not-being–able–to–grasp,” of the recognition of the mysterious character of the world"
44/ @andrewjtaggart has re-ignited this conversation around the phrase "total work" and defines the total worker as:
"a figure of ceaseless, tensed, busied activity: a figure, whose main affliction is a deep existential restlessness fixated on producing the useful."
"a figure of ceaseless, tensed, busied activity: a figure, whose main affliction is a deep existential restlessness fixated on producing the useful."
45/ @OshanJarow on how our wage-based capitalism narrows imagination:
"The way we organize ourselves is so thoroughly, so singularly consumed by one particular ideology, that we are losing the capacity to imagine alternatives."
musingmind.org/essays/ubi-cap…
"The way we organize ourselves is so thoroughly, so singularly consumed by one particular ideology, that we are losing the capacity to imagine alternatives."
musingmind.org/essays/ubi-cap…
46/ POST-WORK
The final school of work is the post-work school which has been in session for at least 100 years.
What has changed is that this school has gone from something that seemed like a worthy goal to something that is easily dismissed as silly.
The final school of work is the post-work school which has been in session for at least 100 years.
What has changed is that this school has gone from something that seemed like a worthy goal to something that is easily dismissed as silly.
47/ Keynes defined the "economic problem" as merely figuring out how to meet our basic needs. Once we did that we could shift down to shorter working days:
"Three-hour shifts or a fifteen-hour week"
think-boundless.com/revisiting-key…
"Three-hour shifts or a fifteen-hour week"
think-boundless.com/revisiting-key…
48/ Bertrand Russell felt that work beliefs enabled suffering:
"immense harm is caused by the belief that work is virtuous, and that what needs to be preached in modern industrial countries is quite different from what always has been preached."
think-boundless.com/revisiting-ber…
"immense harm is caused by the belief that work is virtuous, and that what needs to be preached in modern industrial countries is quite different from what always has been preached."
think-boundless.com/revisiting-ber…
49/ In Russell's time hours had been declining:
"in the early nineteenth century fifteen hours was the ordinary day’s work...When...busy-bodies suggested that perhaps these hours were rather long, they were told that work kept adults from drink and children from mischief.
"in the early nineteenth century fifteen hours was the ordinary day’s work...When...busy-bodies suggested that perhaps these hours were rather long, they were told that work kept adults from drink and children from mischief.
50/ A 1960s report to LBJ suggested post-work was near:
"link between jobs and income is being broken. The economy of abundance can sustain all citizens in comfort and economic security whether or not they engage in what is commonly reckoned as work"
scarc.library.oregonstate.edu/coll/pauling/p…
"link between jobs and income is being broken. The economy of abundance can sustain all citizens in comfort and economic security whether or not they engage in what is commonly reckoned as work"
scarc.library.oregonstate.edu/coll/pauling/p…
51/ Philosopher @JohnDanaher makes the case against work
“Mastering skills, making a contribution to one’s society, and achieving goals are all key elements of the good life...But is the workplace really the best place to pursue such ends? I don’t think so.”
“Mastering skills, making a contribution to one’s society, and achieving goals are all key elements of the good life...But is the workplace really the best place to pursue such ends? I don’t think so.”
52/ While most people dismiss the idea that one should work less than eight hours a day or five days a week, there seems to be some movement in this direction after a century of stagnation.
@askpang latest book explores this in his book Shorter and builds on his last book Rest
@askpang latest book explores this in his book Shorter and builds on his last book Rest
53/ From @DKThomp:
"...the 20th century will strike future historians as an aberration, with its religious devotion to overwork in a time of prosperity, its attenuations of family in service to job opportunity, its conflation of income with self-worth."
theatlantic.com/magazine/archi…
"...the 20th century will strike future historians as an aberration, with its religious devotion to overwork in a time of prosperity, its attenuations of family in service to job opportunity, its conflation of income with self-worth."
theatlantic.com/magazine/archi…
54/ @DKThomp "workism" can be seen as a collection of all these beliefs
"that work is not only necessary to economic production, but also the centerpiece of ones identity and life’s purpose; and the belief that any policy to promote human welfare must always encourage more work"
"that work is not only necessary to economic production, but also the centerpiece of ones identity and life’s purpose; and the belief that any policy to promote human welfare must always encourage more work"
55/ Much of the conversation about work comes loaded with deep assumptions. What interests me most is surfacing these assumptions and contemplating where they come from.
Why a 40-hour week?
Why is work seen as good?
Why is hard work glorified?
Why is paid work higher status?
Why a 40-hour week?
Why is work seen as good?
Why is hard work glorified?
Why is paid work higher status?
56/ I think a lot of our modern ideas around work are stuck in these old work beliefs and the innovations have only come from capitalism itself, which is a system designed to push for more work and more growth.
57/ Personally, I've embraced a very simple work ethic, echoing Michael Pollan's advice on food:
"work, not too much, with love, helping people directly if possible"
"work, not too much, with love, helping people directly if possible"
58/ @WRGuinn has the best attempt of developing a modern work ethic I've seen and believes that these work ethics have created a system where we are "people doing jobs where the real job is to look like you are doing the job."
epsilontheory.com/in-praise-of-w…
epsilontheory.com/in-praise-of-w…
59/ His solution is "clear eyes, full hearts" and advises only spending THREE years at any major employer while being intentional about your work:
"be intentional and honest about connecting your time and tasks to non-zero-sum, actual work products."
"be intentional and honest about connecting your time and tasks to non-zero-sum, actual work products."
60/ Hopefully this made you think. If your interested in improving your work ethic you can join my newsletter, where I sent a weekly musing on work, life & what matters.
I genuinely get a kick out of conversing with people on these ideas!
boundless.substack.com/subscribe
I genuinely get a kick out of conversing with people on these ideas!
boundless.substack.com/subscribe
