Read on Twitter
She’s getting at something that I’ve been turning around in my head for a while.
Our culture venerates people “working hard,” but people should be allowed to live a *less ambitious* life, too.
Everyone should have that choice without it being a life or death decision. https://twitter.com/emibee47/status/1259085966083371010">https://twitter.com/emibee47/...
Our culture venerates people “working hard,” but people should be allowed to live a *less ambitious* life, too.
Everyone should have that choice without it being a life or death decision. https://twitter.com/emibee47/status/1259085966083371010">https://twitter.com/emibee47/...
I’ve shared thoughts on mobility before.
Here is one of my favorite talks about our current challenges, by Michael Sandel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCZhA-_1n4E
In">https://www.youtube.com/watch... it, he says that the answer to inequality is mobility. I agree.
Here is one of my favorite talks about our current challenges, by Michael Sandel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCZhA-_1n4E
In">https://www.youtube.com/watch... it, he says that the answer to inequality is mobility. I agree.
One of my favorite quotes from that video: “People should be able to truly rise as far as their efforts and talents will take them.” 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Red heart" aria-label="Emoji: Red heart">
But he also cautions about the tyranny of merit.
But he also cautions about the tyranny of merit.
Centering meritocracy often leads the “winners” inhaling the air of their success too deeply, and for “losers,” it breeds resentment and humiliation.
And The idea of going up in perpetuity...there’s pressure that builds up when you’re already at the top and expected to go up.
And The idea of going up in perpetuity...there’s pressure that builds up when you’re already at the top and expected to go up.
It also results in people inflicting pain on their children.
Your kids inherit a legacy and expectation to carry the torch, and bear the scars from a high-pressurized gauntlet.
It’s hard to turn that drive off and it obstructs learning, thinking, and taking the world in.
Your kids inherit a legacy and expectation to carry the torch, and bear the scars from a high-pressurized gauntlet.
It’s hard to turn that drive off and it obstructs learning, thinking, and taking the world in.
So, Sandel argues that we should be building politics for the common good.
We should allow people to work for a better life AND allow them to live a less driven life, if they want to.
We should allow people to work for a better life AND allow them to live a less driven life, if they want to.
Back to my original post.
We shouldn’t literally be DYING for work. We shouldn’t value dollars and material things more than being alive and having lives worth living.
We shouldn’t make the barriers to attain basic resources we need as high as they are.
https://twitter.com/operaqueenie/status/1260578645032218626?s=21">https://twitter.com/operaquee... https://twitter.com/operaqueenie/status/1260578645032218626">https://twitter.com/operaquee...
We shouldn’t literally be DYING for work. We shouldn’t value dollars and material things more than being alive and having lives worth living.
We shouldn’t make the barriers to attain basic resources we need as high as they are.
https://twitter.com/operaqueenie/status/1260578645032218626?s=21">https://twitter.com/operaquee... https://twitter.com/operaqueenie/status/1260578645032218626">https://twitter.com/operaquee...
Does it still make sense for work to be a mandate?
Especially, as machines rise to replace the roles of people en masse, we have to adopt a new philosophy and relationship to work and automation.
Especially, as machines rise to replace the roles of people en masse, we have to adopt a new philosophy and relationship to work and automation.
Should we always fill up the gains we get from tech with more productivity from humans?
We’re already stressed the fuck out.
Maybe we need to relax a little. Maybe it’s time for us to rethink how people contribute to society.
We’re already stressed the fuck out.
Maybe we need to relax a little. Maybe it’s time for us to rethink how people contribute to society.
Maybe some people contribute through “work” as we think of it today, and others contribute in other ways that redefine the idea of it.
/fin
/fin
