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If everyone started working fewer hours for the same pay you would be effectively devaluing the dollar. You wouldn't actually be adding more value to the econom

If everyone started working fewer hours for the same pay you would be effectively devaluing the dollar. You wouldn't actually be adding more value to the economy. Value in the economy is created by work and there is simply no substitute for that. Shortening the work week would simply make less value in the economy, making us all poorer and more idle. Too much idleness I can tell you leads to stress, even more stress than too much work. 40 hours is not too much work. To solve the problem in the article one could still cut the workforce by half that was present in the office simply by adding more work-from-home time for the workers which I find to be healthy my own experience anyway. our office is made similar overtures, saying when we go back to work lots of us. Be working from home as a way to tackle a space issue.

elliekelly 6y ago
Many people outside of Silicon Valley have temporarily (in theory) had their salaries cut. 20% less work for 25-30% less pay sounds like it devalues employee time far more than it devalues the dollar.
- greglindahl 6y ago
  Are people inside Silicon Valley not having their salaries cut?
adrianN 6y ago
I'm pretty sure we're far away from too much idleness. 40 hours is too much work. 20 or so would be more than sufficient imho. That would give people time for hobbies and social interaction outside the office.
nullc 6y ago
You are making an unsound assumption that longer hours mean more economic output. In some kinds of jobs this may be true, but in others-- especially ones with substantial intellectual or creative components-- it isn't. In some cases studies have showed increased output from reduced working hours.
- Proven 6y ago
  > In some cases studies have showed increased output from reduced working hours. Surely the greedy capitalist swines introduced reduced shorter working hours when they realized that. And those who didn't, lost their best employees to those who did, right? > In some kinds of jobs this may be true, but in others-- especially ones with substantial intellectual or creative components-- it isn't. But they aren't calling for targeted reduction. Instead they want the least competent and most corrupt to make a blanket decision that applies to everyone.
sova 6y ago
The Makeup of a Dollar [1] would be little affected by a change in working hours, because only the effects of labor are measured, not the actual duration of labor itself. [1] https://satisologie.substack.com/p/the-makeup-of-a-dollar https://satisologie.substack.com/p/the-makeup-of-a-dollar

elliekelly 6y ago

Many people outside of Silicon Valley have temporarily (in theory) had their salaries cut. 20% less work for 25-30% less pay sounds like it devalues employee time far more than it devalues the dollar.

greglindahl 6y ago
Are people inside Silicon Valley not having their salaries cut?

adrianN 6y ago

I'm pretty sure we're far away from too much idleness. 40 hours is too much work. 20 or so would be more than sufficient imho. That would give people time for hobbies and social interaction outside the office.

nullc 6y ago

You are making an unsound assumption that longer hours mean more economic output. In some kinds of jobs this may be true, but in others-- especially ones with substantial intellectual or creative components-- it isn't. In some cases studies have showed increased output from reduced working hours.

Proven 6y ago
> In some cases studies have showed increased output from reduced working hours. Surely the greedy capitalist swines introduced reduced shorter working hours when they realized that. And those who didn't, lost their best employees to those who did, right? > In some kinds of jobs this may be true, but in others-- especially ones with substantial intellectual or creative components-- it isn't. But they aren't calling for targeted reduction. Instead they want the least competent and most corrupt to make a blanket decision that applies to everyone.

sova 6y ago

The Makeup of a Dollar [1] would be little affected by a change in working hours, because only the effects of labor are measured, not the actual duration of labor itself. [1] https://satisologie.substack.com/p/the-makeup-of-a-dollar https://satisologie.substack.com/p/the-makeup-of-a-dollar