Andrew Yang Podcast Workism, AI, and the Meaning of Life
Apr 10, 2023
Derek Thompson, a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of "On Work," joins the conversation to delve into the idea of workism as a modern religion and its impact on self-worth. He discusses the challenges of the post-COVID labor market, highlighting the rise of remote work and its effects on corporate culture. The discussion shifts to the implications of artificial intelligence on the future of employment and the urgent need for regulatory frameworks to navigate its risks, especially for new graduates entering the workforce.
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Work As A New Religion
- Derek Thompson coins “workism” to describe when people treat work as a religion fulfilling meaning and identity.
- He warns this elevates jobs beyond their design and can cause personal and systemic harm.
The Fragility Of Job-Based Identity
- Work falsifies you with daily feedback so tying identity to jobs is fragile and risky.
- Thompson argues many jobs were created to be jobs, not to provide self-actualization.
Seek A Balance Between Work And Identity
- Recognize the middle ground: people need jobs but must avoid defining themselves solely by work.
- Thompson suggests imagining alternative social structures that don't make work the sole path to dignity and income.