A culture war about the future of work currently pervades the various publications:
- Is work “not a pony farm” after all(Nahles)?
- The head of the federal employers’ association, Steffen Kampeter, also swears by this: Performance must be worthwhile again. First in school, then in the labor market. Otherwise, our prosperity would shrink. Moreover:
A good work-life balance is possible “even with 39 hours of work a week,” says employer representative Kampeter.
- Sociologist Karin Jurczyk is not convinced. It calls for an option time model that provides more space for care work for all. Because too many people fall ill and are exhausted in the current working time model.
There is no way around rethinking employment biographies.
- So do we have to “get away from the work-centered society,” according to philosopher Michael Cholbi, whose view I present here as central:
Although the process of humans being replaced by robots and artificial intelligence is much slower than was assumed a few years ago, he said. In addition, he said, the pandemic has highlighted how much work is needed in care for an aging population. In the long term, however, many professions are expected to become extinct. And people should already be learning now,
Finding things outside of your work that they can develop passion for.
Because:
Gaining satisfaction in ways other than your job is something you can learn. Politics can make this possible, firstly by providing citizens with basic financial security and secondly by giving them time to develop other passions.
This process could also arise on the part of the population, as can already be seen in the solidified demands for more home office, 4-day work week, New Work, etc.
This is a kind of cultural pushback against the work-centered society.
Yes, and that puts us in the middle of the culture war between the representatives of the old industrial society (BA board, BDA, etc.) and civil society, which wants more diversity. Or as Cholbi puts it:
We should allow different relationships to work to coexist. Those who are satisfied by walking along the beach and collecting shells every day should receive exactly the same social acceptance as workaholics.
But the jobs and our prosperity, you can already hear it buzzing from the old world. Where is all the money generated (and royalties) supposed to come from?
Perhaps simply by developing truly advanced value chains that are sustainable and efficient – and bring “added value” to all citizens? Of course, this also requires people who are keen to help shape society in the interests of all. Only lamenting is then also too little …
Article on February 27, 2023 published on piqd as a reference to the taz article. Philosopher on reduction of working hours: https://taz.de/Philosoph-ueber-Arbeitszeitverkuerzung/!5916834/“Many professions will become extinct”
