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Disclaimer: I haven't read the article. I'm just responding to the end of your comment. As someone who has spent years doing unimportant work that I was able

Disclaimer: I haven't read the article. I'm just responding to the end of your comment. As someone who has spent years doing unimportant work that I was able to find some meaning in, and who has made sacrifices in order to expand my opportunities and eventually consistently find work that is important and meaningful, I totally disagree with your message. I understand there are a lot of pitfalls people can get stuck in and most things aren't as good as they could be... But that doesn't mean everything is awful or that everything is getting worse overall on average. I mean this in the most constructive way possible: I think you could benefit a lot from cognitive behavioral therapy. Few things that helped me tremendously... Victor Frankel - Man's Search for Meaning Marcus Aurelius - Meditations (or Ryan Holiday if you don't have the patience) I am not religious but this prayer helped me a lot: Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference. You aren't asking for help, and I understand that these suggestions may just piss you off... But if there is a small chance they help you or anyone else who sees them that feels similar to you, then they are worth sharing. The world doesn't get better with apathy or victimhood or defeatism, it gets better by accepting reality as it really is and then getting to work on it. You are surrounded by meaningful work, it just seems like you have been tricked into not seeing it.

grugagag 2y ago
For making things better personally I agree with you on changing the mindset in the ways you mentioned. Im agnostic leaning a bit towards atheism and yet I found praying help bring serentiy sometimes. There are many ways to bring serenity. It’s just cope. However, from a systemic point of view we can’t all nor are all of us capable in this ballancing act of taking a meaningless job and moving the needle on the meaningless scale on the side. Humanity is loosing the battle. Bullshit jobs do turn us into serfs of sorts.
- FloorEgg 2y ago
  I think we might be conflating meaning, importance, 3rd party benefit, and satisfaction (at least). I'm not advocating for anyone to stay in what they feel is a bullshit job while trying to fake some perception of meaning. If you're unsatisfied with your work for ~two straight months, absolutely make a change. Is the problem that you're doing work that doesn't benefit anyone else? That you're constrained to only do it in an unproductive way? That you personally are not satisfied by the work? That you receive no gratitude for your work? That you're no longer learning or growing? Not making enough money? Something else? What I'm really having trouble agreeing with is that the system is so broken that it's futile to try to improve your situation, and that this constraint is getting worse. It's so far from my experience that while it might be true in some cases I know it's not true globally. I started out minimum wage picking up garbage, working front line retail, etc. barely making ends meet. I used a significant portion of my free time to learn new skills. I sacrificed hanging out with friends on the weekends through most of my 20s. I worked hard. Progress was slow at first, but I built momentum. Over the years I got more and better opportunities. Now my work is meaningful, challenging, impactful and pays well. (I'm in my 30s) When I hear someone say that they are trapped in serdom, or that capitalism is the problem, and that it's futile to try and improve their circumstances, I can't help but think they have been tricked into sabotaging themselves. Some people truely are stuck due to disability, but people who have the ability to be productive and have just given up are wrong.
- nradov 2y ago
  If you want a meaningful job then you can just go get one. There is plenty of work available in construction labor. What could be more meaningful than building homes for people. Or go work in an elder care facility. They are always hiring attendants and you can make a real difference in the lives of the patients.

grugagag 2y ago

For making things better personally I agree with you on changing the mindset in the ways you mentioned. Im agnostic leaning a bit towards atheism and yet I found praying help bring serentiy sometimes. There are many ways to bring serenity. It’s just cope. However, from a systemic point of view we can’t all nor are all of us capable in this ballancing act of taking a meaningless job and moving the needle on the meaningless scale on the side. Humanity is loosing the battle. Bullshit jobs do turn us into serfs of sorts.

FloorEgg 2y ago
I think we might be conflating meaning, importance, 3rd party benefit, and satisfaction (at least). I'm not advocating for anyone to stay in what they feel is a bullshit job while trying to fake some perception of meaning. If you're unsatisfied with your work for ~two straight months, absolutely make a change. Is the problem that you're doing work that doesn't benefit anyone else? That you're constrained to only do it in an unproductive way? That you personally are not satisfied by the work? That you receive no gratitude for your work? That you're no longer learning or growing? Not making enough money? Something else? What I'm really having trouble agreeing with is that the system is so broken that it's futile to try to improve your situation, and that this constraint is getting worse. It's so far from my experience that while it might be true in some cases I know it's not true globally. I started out minimum wage picking up garbage, working front line retail, etc. barely making ends meet. I used a significant portion of my free time to learn new skills. I sacrificed hanging out with friends on the weekends through most of my 20s. I worked hard. Progress was slow at first, but I built momentum. Over the years I got more and better opportunities. Now my work is meaningful, challenging, impactful and pays well. (I'm in my 30s) When I hear someone say that they are trapped in serdom, or that capitalism is the problem, and that it's futile to try and improve their circumstances, I can't help but think they have been tricked into sabotaging themselves. Some people truely are stuck due to disability, but people who have the ability to be productive and have just given up are wrong.
nradov 2y ago
If you want a meaningful job then you can just go get one. There is plenty of work available in construction labor. What could be more meaningful than building homes for people. Or go work in an elder care facility. They are always hiring attendants and you can make a real difference in the lives of the patients.