Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work
Work has become central to our very self-conception—so much so that when presented with the idea of doing less work, many people ask, "But what would I do?" The fact that so many people find it impossible to imagine a meaningful life outside of work demonstrates the extent to which the work ethic has infected our minds.
IT’S NOT MONDAYS YOU HATE, IT’S YOUR JOB
From the beginning of capitalism, workers have struggled against the imposition of fixed working hours, and the demand for shorter hours was a key component of the early labor movement. Initial battles saw high levels of resistance in the form of individual absenteeism, numerous holidays and irregular work habits. This resistance to normal working hours continues today in widespread slacking off, with workers often surfing the internet rather than doing their job. At every step of the way, then, workers have struggled to escape normal working hours,