Is The Work Ethic Worn Out?

[Barnabas]

The "bad" thing with this protestants beliefs about working hard, being a good christian and God giving you prosperity, is what it means for poor people.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Spiffor
I'm nit sure the Americans are especially hardworking.

Spending long hours at the worplace doesn't automatically mean you work hard. Same with being on call 24/7.

QFT.

Most Western European countries, with their shorter workdays and longer vacations, are actually more productive, on a hour-by-hour basis, that the US.

The US has convinced itself that long hours at work = productivity in the same way we've convinced ourselves that long commutes in gigantic cars = the good life, or gigantic portions of tasteless food = abundance. It's just sad, really.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Working long hours does not increase productivity at the same rate.

That's a valid argument against the way we do things, but not an argument against how hard we work. Just cuz our productivity drops doesn't mean we aren't working hard. It just means our hard work becomes increasingly less efficient.

[Gary]

The world owes no one a living, so one should to do some work to pay for ones keep. But beyond that, there's no moral benefit in knocking yourself out. Use the rest of your time to do what you want. Of course, if you like working yourself into the ground ...

[ajbera]

Is it a work ethic if I work hard to manipulate the system and others so I don't have to work? (Though to be honest I don't even have to work hard to do it.)

[DanS]

Most Western European countries, with their shorter workdays and longer vacations, are actually more productive, on a hour-by-hour basis, that the US.

Not true. Don't think it's even a majority.

[Vesayen]

Why the hell should Americans have a good work ethic when all employees are now interchangible products which recieve no respect or consideration beyond the most basic economic utility?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Vesayen
Why the hell should Americans have a good work ethic when all employees are now interchangible products which recieve no respect or consideration beyond the most basic economic utility?

QFT

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
That's a valid argument against the way we do things, but not an argument against how hard we work.

How many people here post from work?

And how many of them have shorter working hours?

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by Vesayen
Why the hell should Americans have a good work ethic when all employees are now interchangible products which recieve no respect or consideration beyond the most basic economic utility?

Peasant.

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by DanS


Not true. Don't think it's even a majority.

True for France and they led the way in shortening the work week IIRC.

[DanS]

Yes, France is among those countries.

To be clear, I've got nothing against shortening the work week for Americans, other than tactical considerations. But the hours worked hasn't decreased in over a generation.

Maybe the work ethic is as strong as ever, and doesn't need extra reinforcement from the pulpit.

[SlowwHand]

I saw a bumper sticker yesterday. I'll toss it out here to fan the fames.

Unions Brought Us the Weekend

After some research, I see this is shortened from the original, Yahweh Gave Us the Sabbath but Unions Brought Us the Weekend.

[Dr Strangelove]

People complain and get downright foul if I don't work 24/7. This includes folks who have definitely spent less of their lives at work than the average person, some who have never worked a day in their lives. It's not the modern industrial system, it's human nature.

I question whether the non-Calvinist protestants and Catholics were historically less enthusiastic about the work ethic. Remember that at various times these religions served the hierarchial system of the day. History is full of episodes of protests by the working class about the clergy favoring the masters over the workers. It's the fact that in the past the American farmer, shopkeeper and craftsman had a better chance of keeping the fruit of his labors and advancing his station that made the work ethic such a hit in America. An abundance of resources available to everyone and an ever expanding market also contributed to making the American worker the best compensated worker as far back as the nineteenth century.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
I question whether the non-Calvinist protestants and Catholics were historically less enthusiastic about the work ethic.

According to Pekka Himanen, yes they were. The religion depicted work as a curse instead of a blessing, and there was no religious/ideological incentive to do more than the daily toil.

Besides, wealth was typically frowned upon in catholic countries (to the point that such dirty jobs as usury were left to the Jews and forbidden to Christians), so the accumulation of capital was not a priority either.