this post was submitted on 23 Oct 2023
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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.
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Preface: I'm not intending to come off as bragging, but providing some justification
I make plenty enough to retire by 45. Does that mean I'll stop working by 45? No, that sounds ridiculously boring. I'd rather work part time or do contract work until I'm physically and mentally unable because otherwise I'll become a vegetable. I enjoy my work and at the moment have no intentions of stopping at any point
I feel bad for anyone who's identity and self worth is so tied to their job that they'd feel this way.
If I woke up tomorrow and was told I could keep receiving my current income for the rest of my life, but I just wouldn't have to actually put in the time and do the work?
I would never touch that work again.
There's so many things I could do, activities to try, things to learn, and skills to develop that I could never imagine getting so damn bored with my life without work that I'd ever remotely consider getting back into the work force.
Work is what I do in order to afford the life I want. It's not the life I want.
I've not worked for ten years, and I've never been happier. Not a moment of boredom and I get to throw myself into whatever hobby I want.
I feel real sad for people who can't comprehend enjoying free time.
What do they do, stare at walls and watch paint dry?
I feel more in touch with myself and other people than ever before
So much this.
I love my job, but doing whatever the fuck I want kind of beats it. I have many project ideas and also some skills I want to learn, would finally have time to go all in.
Have you considered that some people might actually enjoy their jobs?
I'm not saying you do but that's fine, but you're pretty much saying that working has to be boring and undesirable, which it absolutely doesn't have to be.
I'm saying nothing of the sort.
All I'm saying is that if you're working at a job, you're being paid to do what your employer asks you to do. If you happen to enjoy it, great, but that's incidental, your only choice is to keep doing what they want or to stop and then stop getting paid.
If you don't have to work, though, now you get to choose what to do with your time. And if the thing you'd most want to do with that power of choice is to give it right back to your employer, then idk...just seems sad to me.
What's you opinion on volunteering then? Maybe people do it because it makes them feel good that they're doing something they want to.
And they're not getting paid to do it.
Why not do something you enjoy and get paid while you're at it?
What I do for work is also my hobby outside of work! I enjoy work due to the new challenges that come and require solving. If I'm working on my own stuff I end up side-tracked and never actually finish things which gets demoralizing quickly. Work helps keep me on task so I can actually get to have the satisfaction of a job well done
So that's the thing. People say that they'll never retire and that it sounds boring, but the reality is much different. You just find other things to do. What you'll find is that when you stop working for someone else, you start working for yourself... and if you're a determined individual you'll be busier than you've ever been in your life. Just something to consider.
I barely lasted six months or a year without a job last time it happened, and before that I was bored out of my mind for four years
Okay but like, why don't you do something for yourself instead of working for someone else.
I'm convinced people with this attitude can't think for themselves and must be directed by a superior or they're useless.
Focus on yourself instead.
I do do things for myself. What I do for work is also my hobby, but I have zero self control. I would happily dive into my side projects for weeks on end just to have them crash and burn from burnout or from my getting side-tracked.
Last time I wasn't working I lasted about six months before I had to get back to some sort of work simply because my own personal projects became extremely boring. Even things I have put years into at this point, I ended up getting bored quickly even though I hadn't increased my workload
To be clear, I wouldn't be working full-time, but I enjoy the unique challenges that work brings me. It gives me things to think about and solve that I wouldn't have considered, and that helps keep the burnout at bay
You're really just reaffirming my position here. You can't keep yourself interested without having someone else direct you.
No, I just need to be better about moderating myself. I still work on my side projects quite a lot, but having something else to do helps keep me motivated.
I've been out of a job and going to school through the VA for 4 years. I love it. I do projects to improve my home,I visit family without limits, and go to different states on a whim just to see them. If I want to go to see or do anything in the middle of the day I just leave. Working until your too old to do anything isn't sounding great.
I still do quite a bit. I'm a remote worker so I travel relatively frequently, and my work is generous with vacation time. I don't feel over-worked and simply just enjoy some of the challenge that work brings me. It helps that I genuinely enjoy my work because what I do for work is also my hobby that I already do outside of work, it just ensures I don't stay fixated on a single project which helps prevent burnout.
There's very few things I've found so far that are genuinely entertaining to participate in, and splitting up my time helps me in keeping those few things entertaining in perpituity instead of burning myself out
Firstly, I appreciate your candid response. It is great that you enjoy what you do not many people get that. Secondly, congratulations on the remote position. I am sure that helps a lot to prevent burn out.