The chapter dives into the myth of finding fulfilling and meaningful work, questioning the societal pressure to derive love and happiness solely from one's job. It explores the historical evolution of work expectations and the emotional demands of different job types in our changing capitalist landscape. The conversation emphasizes the importance of addressing systemic issues rather than individual fulfillment and advocates for creating a world where meaningful choices are accessible to all through collective empowerment.
You’ve probably heard this advice before: “Find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” But missing from that laughably quaint maxim is the promise of a job ever loving you back. The “labor of love” myth sits at the heart of some of our most core beliefs about work. But the expectation that the place cutting our paychecks should be the same place giving our lives meaning isn’t an old one; it’s a pretty new conceit that’s come into focus as the shape of work itself has changed—demanding more of our time and emotional capacity while providing us with less pay and security.
In this episode of Brave New Work, Aaron Dignan and Rodney Evans speak with independent journalist and labor reporter Sarah Jaffe, who traces this history in her most recent book Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone. She shares how perhaps the pandemic has imploded the “labor of love” myth for good.
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