Amelia Horgan, author of *Lost in Work: Escaping Capitalism*, discusses the disillusionment with traditional work norms. Sarah Jaffe, reporting fellow at Type Media Center, highlights the decline of job quality and societal misconceptions about meritocracy. Orlando Lazar, a political theorist, delves into the historical power dynamics in labor, linking these issues to emotional and reproductive labor. Together, they unravel the complexities of work under capitalism and advocate for collective redefinitions of personal and professional boundaries.
The podcast highlights how the current job market is increasingly polarized, with a significant rise in low-quality jobs since the 2008 financial crisis.
Emotional labor is now a prevalent expectation in many roles, often undervalued by employers despite its critical impact on customer interactions.
Historical examples of worker control, like the Paris Commune, underscore the potential for radical organizational changes and increased worker autonomy in shaping labor processes.
Deep dives
Defining Work in Today's Economy
The current landscape of work under capitalism is characterized by a significant bifurcation in job quality, leading to a rise in low-quality jobs. Many lucrative positions with autonomy and control have diminished, particularly following the 2008 financial crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has further polarized the labor market, revealing disparities in job security, with some workers facing unstable conditions while others reassess their workplace choices. In this context, the increasing burden of risk has shifted from employers to employees, exemplified by rising student debt, which necessitates taking on more financial risk to secure employment.
Impact of COVID-19 on Labor Markets
COVID-19 has highlighted the deep divides within the labor market, where job retention became a matter of privilege. Workers were categorized into three groups: those working from home, those in high-risk environments, and those who lost their jobs altogether. This division revealed serious issues about who is valued in the workplace, prompting many to reject returning to unsafe or low-paying roles. As employees seek better working conditions, there is an ongoing debate among policymakers about how to incentivize them to return, illustrating the failings of the current labor system.
Dominant Narratives Surrounding Employment
The conversation around work features a prominent 'carrot and stick' approach, where the unemployed are pathologized while being encouraged to hustle harder. This meritocratic ideology suggests that rewards come solely from individual effort, despite the reality of dwindling secure job opportunities. As people face increasing challenges in the job market, the rhetoric surrounding labor continues to promote the idea that hard work directly correlates to success. This problematic narrative often ignores the underlying structural inequalities that shape labor conditions.
Emotional Labor and Its Rise
Emotional labor has become increasingly prevalent across various sectors, as workers are expected to manage their own feelings to create desired emotions in customers. This expectation is evident in customer-facing roles, where employees juggle their emotional state while striving to meet management's demands. The complexity of emotional labor might not be recognized fairly, as employers often overlook the value of genuine human interactions. Instead, there is a tendency to codify these interactions, leading to the devaluation of authentic emotional engagement.
The Future of Work and Worker Control
The discussion surrounding worker control highlights the historical struggles for autonomy in the workplace, including examples like the Paris Commune and the Lucas Plan. These instances illustrate the potential for radical organizational structures and the importance of workers' knowledge in shaping their labor processes. Today, tech workers are increasingly asserting their right to determine how their labor impacts society, advocating against harmful projects. This shift signals a critical reevaluation of the nature of work itself and emphasizes the need for deeper control and agency among workers in shaping their professional environments.
'Work hard, get paid.' It's simple. Self-evident. But it's also a lie - at least for most of us. For people today, the old assumptions are crumbling; hard work in school no longer guarantees a secure, well-paying job in the future. Far from a gateway to riches and fulfillment, 'work' means precarity, anxiety and alienation.
Discussing everything from the history of work under capitalism, to social reproduction and the trade union movement, our panel are:
Amelia Horgan, author of Lost in Work: Escaping Capitalism; Sarah Jaffe, a reporting fellow at Type Media Center and the author of Work Won't Love You Back; and Orlando Lazar, a political theorist and college lecturer at the University of Oxford, whose research focuses on power and domination at work.
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