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Forty hours, one life...
(lemmy.nz)
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this post was submitted on 31 Aug 2026
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Work Reform
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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.
Our Philosophies:
- All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
- Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
- Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
- We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.
Our Goals
- Higher wages for underpaid workers.
- Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
- Better and fewer working hours.
- Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
- Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.
founded 3 years ago
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I think that's a misunderstanding of the intent. Obviously having a miserable job will make you miserable. But not everyone has to have a job that is their life's great passion. It's OK to have a job that just pays the bills. It's OK to not care about your work.
That's the part that CEOs hate to hear. Capitalism wants everyone to believe that their work has to define them, has to be the most important thing they do. Because if you get people to believe that then 1) that depresses wages for the "meaningful" jobs by creating more competition, and 2) it sells the lie that you have to go above and beyond because if you're not treating your job as a calling then you're failing at life.
It's OK to clock out on time. It's OK to put in the minimum effort required. It's OK to care about your work life balance. And it's OK to find a job that just pays the bills and doesn't stress you out.
Exactly. You don't have to like your job.
But you can't spend half your life doing something you hate.
And in the middle is where I guess most people are, a job is just a means to an end.
Pradoxically, I think for a lot of people, understanding that your job doesn't have to be your passion is actually the key to not hating it. People push themselves to give everything they have to their work in the belief that it somehow brings meaning to their lives, or they put up with endless abuse to do a job just because it's something they're passionate about. Those same people might be a lot more happy and less stressed if they were willing to check out and just let their job be a job, or find some work that pays the bills while they pursue their passions as a hobby instead.
Everyone is on a different part of the spectrum. There was the hustler or "ambitious" one who makes their whole life about work. Then lately there's more young people completely dissolutioned on the supposed "American Dream" and just do the bare minimum to stay employed.
I think you need not necessarily passion, but a little bit of pride in what you do to keep moving and not making over a third of your best years into a soft prison. You can be prideful of a job you otherwise find mundane. But, the times of "work above and beyond and you'll be rewarded" is also over and we need to accept that, unless you're working for yourself (and you're playing an even harder hustle in that case anyway).
I'm not gonna say "balance is key", becsuse it really depends on your lifestyle. but I think most people need to find a dial between 20% and 70% and figure out where they lie for proper work-life balance.
There is also a lot to be said about colleagues and company culture. It's better to do a job where you're not that invested in doing it with great colleagues in a great company than having your dream job in your dream field in a completely toxic environment.
I think another thing that people miss is that anything you HAVE to do (i.e. responsibility) is going to get old at some point. My "dream" would be to make its as a musician, but even that would get tiring and monotonous at some point after doing it over and over again. I mean, I'd still take that life, but every job has plusses and minuses.
I'm over 20 years into my field. I used to really find the science behind it fascinating.
Now I don't give a shit and just want to be free and never think about it again.
CEOs and other managers that are like "you should do more work for me for free" are bad people who should not be allowed to lead
Like my old CEO at a startup wanted people to work nights and weekends to hit deadlines. I'm like, if we make it big you get rich and I get the same salary. That's a horrible deal for me. Give me a lot of equity and we'll talk.
But those people will continue to lead as long as our economic system continues to reward them.
This age will be looked upon as a terrible dark age, and it will be mind-bending for the future generations how barbaric we were.
Assuming we just don't end up in an I have no mouth, and I must scream scenario.
Many years ago, a high school teacher gave us a speech on jobs - he said there were 3 reasons that you should have a job. Either:
I think about that speech a lot. I think maybe there are one or two other reasons to have a job as well (like you need it to support a family, it's a stepping stone to something you actually want, etc) but in general I agree with this idea.
To play devil's advocate, you do risk getting fired at a time when it's getting harder to find another job. Oh, but they won't outright fire you, because that means they might have to pay unemployment, so instead, they'll harass you until you quit.
It’s just plain old black and white thinking, if you don’t love your job it must be horrible and you hate it and it’s soul draining, as if these are the only two options. There’s a million options between those two points where you can be happy and take care of your responsibilities even if your job isn’t your perfect job chasing your great passion. Personally I think having a job that defines you or is your purpose is pretty off putting