3 ms·
Why is work seen as a gift? In german, they employer is the "Arbeitgeber", i.e. the "work giver", while the employee is the "Arbeitnehmer", the "work taker". W
by steve1977 4y ago
Why is work seen as a gift?
In german, they employer is the "Arbeitgeber", i.e. the "work giver", while the employee is the "Arbeitnehmer", the "work taker".
Which is really wrong IMHO. The employee is giving his work to the employer.
- Tade0 4y agoIf it's anything like in my language (Polish, where the expression is very similar), the meaning shifted over generations and was quite the opposite 150 years ago. I suppose back when the demographic pyramid was still a pyramid, being offered a job, especially as a young person, was seen as somewhat of a favour.
- bombolo 4y agoIn Italy I've heard company owners say: "I feed X families". Wrong… you mean they feed you.
- bayesian_horse 4y agoIn german "geben/nehmen" itself has no implication of exchange or lack thereof and can mean one or the other or anything in beween, unlike the related English word "gift" which does somewhat come from "given" or "gegeben" but only means given without reciprocation.
- steve1977 4y agoI was referring to the title of the original post: “Why is remote work seen as gift?”. So I’m asking why see work as a gift in general? And from there I brought up the fact that in german, work is something that is given by the employer to the employee. Which is really the wrong way round. Because, as you indicated , there is an exchange happening. The employee is giving work and is getting money in return.