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I think you misunderstand me -- if I wasn't getting paid, of course I would find another job. That's just reality. I'm not independently wealthy; I need to earn

I think you misunderstand me -- if I wasn't getting paid, of course I would find another job. That's just reality. I'm not independently wealthy; I need to earn a living. Outside of that, I find my work to be meaningful in and of itself. I wonder if many of the ills in our society are related to this: Many people don't see any dignity or meaning in their work. Maybe they're right. Maybe not. Either way, that's a big problem.

s1artibartfast 3y ago
To the contrary, I think we understand each other clearly. >I wonder if many of the ills in our society are related to this: Many people don't see any dignity or meaning in their work. Maybe they're right. Maybe not. Either way, that's a big problem. I tend to think it is a central problem too. I think a big part of it is driven by individual overoptimization around the wrong the wrong parameters and a culture of commodification. The general sense I get is that most people spend their life doing meaningless work that makes them unhappy in hopes that they buy enough crap to net happiness. Im guilty of it too, but the older I get, the more confident I am that this simply doesnt work. You can't buy enough crap to break even. Moreover, I'm pretty suspicious of hedonism and the pursuit of happiness in general. I dont think happiness can be sought directly, but is only a byproduct of living with other objectives.