11–20 of 275 posts
This post incorrectly assumes that working is not fun and should be minimized. Maybe the work is the point.
If it is the point for you, that's great, but it's certainly not the point for me. Don't incorrectly assume most people share your purpose or values.
Most people, I observe who burn out, do because of other reasons - work politics, poor health and ultimately not feeling in control of their lives. Not everyone is built to work like that, but some are. And they can sustain it for long periods of time.
This post incorrectly assumes that working is not fun and should be minimized. Maybe the work is the point.
The point of what? Life? If it is the point for you, that's great, but it's certainly not the point for me. Don't incorrectly assume most people share your purpose or values.
What matters is not hours but choice: can one choose to use her time at her own will? If she can, then I don't see any issue at all.
Another example would be "if you've saved up a lot of money, why don't you spend more?" Well because I saved it by not spending too much.
And in this case, "success" is working long hours, because of what these workers believe. Success is the appearance of working hard, and having put the effort in.
The article doesn't really address income/spending, though. Are they making excellent money because of working so hard? What do they do with it? If they spend most of it, they have to keep earning to sustain their lifestyle.
Of course, some people spend little, work hard, earn a lot, and perhaps never reach "enough", where they can work less, spend a bit more, and actually enjoy the fruit of their labor.
Why do you suppose that people don't enjoy working 70 hours a week? My dad regularly worked 70 hour weeks - had multiple careers doctor/businessman/public figure. But he had a ton of help - manager, personal assistant, chauffeur. Everything on the home front was outsourced. He loved it. But he had a lot of control. Most people, I observe who burn out, do because of other reasons - work politics, poor health and ultim…
The headline itself is an example of a question that answers itself. Another example would be "if you've saved up a lot of money, why don't you spend more?" Well because I saved it by not spending too much. And in this case, "success" is working long hours, because of what these workers believe. Success is the appearance of working hard, and having put the effort in. The article doesn't really address income/spending…
If I were successful then I definitely wouldn't be _working_. Yet here I am working many hours and others claim I am successful.
It's as if work is just toiling, but in reality it is not. Some people may just love meeting people and calling the shot. Some people may just love reading papers and tweaking and building systems. Some people may just love deriving equations and writing papers and giving talks. They call such activities work, but they enjoy doing them. What matters is not hours but choice: can one choose to use her time at her own w…
The headline itself is an example of a question that answers itself. Another example would be "if you've saved up a lot of money, why don't you spend more?" Well because I saved it by not spending too much. And in this case, "success" is working long hours, because of what these workers believe. Success is the appearance of working hard, and having put the effort in. The article doesn't really address income/spending…
No, I don't think people work 70 hours because they're successful. I think they work 70 hours out of necessity and others think that makes them successful. If I were successful then I definitely wouldn't be _working_. Yet here I am working many hours and others claim I am successful.
They define it differently (just as "others" define your "working many hours" as successful.)