Tanked Thinking?

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I caught a discussion this morning: "Rethink Work" on BBC Radio Four; a three-parter, apparently, looking at the world of work, post-Covid. Except that, at least today, I didn't really hear any signs of 're-thinking' going on. Three words/phrases; 'career', 'ambition', and 'work-ethic', stuck out for me, as well as a kind of general reluctance by most of the panel to accept the further reduction of the working week as a credible 'thing' for all manner of socio-economic and psychological reasons. Here's the thing: most people don't have or even want a 'career'. Working for a living is mostly an expedient measure to garner sufficient funds to live, and hopefully, lead a decent life outside of work. I grant you that many people still do define themselves by whatever it is that they do during the working week, but that is certainly not how I see or have ever seen myself, to be frank. As to ambition, anyone that knows me will know that my cleaving to Zen Buddhist thought has precluded such nonsense for me, for most of my life; and well it has served me thus far, to this, and I trust henceforth, to my dying day.

As for the concept of 'work-ethic', it was invented by those who have always sought to suppress and exploit others for their own lazy profiteering or religious fervour: keeping the populace in effective servitude for the benefit of the privileged few. I've never been afraid of a hard day's work if it was suitably and appropriately remunerated, or indeed, as now, in retirement, if it is for the immediate benefit of myself, family or friends; but I will not accept the concept of the 'dignity of labour'. Historically, the workers - the creators of all wealth - have simply been exploited for profit at their expense, despite the inarguable fact that the entire economy depends both on the wealth they create and the money they spend. As far as the Radio Four discussion went, all I heard was a bunch of well-heeled intellectuals not really saying very much at all, and being paid extremely handsomely so to do...

Comments

  1. Anonymous3 August 2023 at 07:01

    Same goes for the press mate! It's all piss & wind. Just in case anyone else reads this: Popes visit to Portugal is being called the "Catholic Churches' Woodstock" which made me wonder if they've never heard that Woodstock was the birth of Free Love! And that made me think:)
    Joe

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