One of the strongest American taboos is admitting you don’t want to work hard. You have to at least claim some energetic hobby like snowboarding or surfing. Or some sort of physical or mental ailment holding you back. Even the 4HWW thing is about freeing up time for intense play.
Conversation
Replying to
I’m totally about an actual 4HWW plus mansion though I’m never going to get either
2
26
Current state is probably 25-30h week
Peak was probably intermittent 50-60 hour weeks for large chunks of 2008-09
Paycheck work has a deterministic effort = outcome equation, since you get paid for futile effort too. As a free agent, futile effort is actually futile.
1
53
Replying to
I disagree. Once you get out of the high performing bubbles, you will find vast swaths of this country content to work to live, not live to work. I’m visiting some friends / relatives in TX who exemplify this and are proud of it.
1
10
Replying to
Nope. Not by global standards. Americans across the board fetishize hard work.
2
26
Show replies
Show replies
Replying to
Didn’t always used to be this way, and it depends on your subculture. There are plenty of folks in the areas where I grew up that seemed to be very content to just drink beer and go fishing, and didn’t ask more of their fellow man than that.
12
Replying to
This is why when someone asks "do you work?" and you say "I stay at home with my kids" they ALWAYS respond like "oh! the hardest/best/most important job of all!"
it's bc they don't want you to feel bad about looking like you don't "work," so childcare gets redefined as a job
4
1
37
Replying to
Suffering and hard work are synonymous with character in most western classes (not in ultra wealth), at least my perception.
"Honest living" and "good citizen" have that color.
I no longer agree.
3







