Scan barcode
lottie1803's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
babyvampp's review against another edition
4.0
This work challenges the way readers think about work and what it means. The first half of the book is a historic and critical look of work, while the second half is an examination of what it means to resist traditional full time "work" and the 9-5, forty-hour work week. The author interviewed several individuals who did just that. The reader gains a better understanding of the detrimental effects of the 9-5 by learning why these people resisted work (from not working at all to working one hour less a day).
The biggest take-away from the book for me was the notion that work is time, and by purchasing goods, you are essentially exchanging your time for said items. New careers have arisen in order for people to "buy" free time (dog-walkers, house-cleaners, gardeners), essentially working to pay someone to do something that they would have time to do if they were not working as much or at all. Is working worth sacrificing time? Is the money made from working worth the time? Could time be spent better elsewhere?
One of the more interesting subjects in the work was an interviewee who worked as an attorney and became a waitress instead, working part-time doing and offering private tutoring. In this subject, the author examines the idea of the meaning of work in society's view, examining the view of high-paying, high status full-time work vs. part time and/or not working at all; the notion of "unemployment" and the idea it summons. Why should she be embarrassed or feel ashamed for leaving a job as an attorney, in return having more free time to enjoy her life? Why is the notion of work and having a career held in such high regard by society? Why is it that society sees someone who does not work as "lazy" or a "bum"? These questions are examined throughout the work along with some ideas of how society will have to change in order to reach a more positive and less consumeristic version of "work".
The biggest take-away from the book for me was the notion that work is time, and by purchasing goods, you are essentially exchanging your time for said items. New careers have arisen in order for people to "buy" free time (dog-walkers, house-cleaners, gardeners), essentially working to pay someone to do something that they would have time to do if they were not working as much or at all. Is working worth sacrificing time? Is the money made from working worth the time? Could time be spent better elsewhere?
One of the more interesting subjects in the work was an interviewee who worked as an attorney and became a waitress instead, working part-time doing and offering private tutoring. In this subject, the author examines the idea of the meaning of work in society's view, examining the view of high-paying, high status full-time work vs. part time and/or not working at all; the notion of "unemployment" and the idea it summons. Why should she be embarrassed or feel ashamed for leaving a job as an attorney, in return having more free time to enjoy her life? Why is the notion of work and having a career held in such high regard by society? Why is it that society sees someone who does not work as "lazy" or a "bum"? These questions are examined throughout the work along with some ideas of how society will have to change in order to reach a more positive and less consumeristic version of "work".
mindthebook's review against another edition
4.0
Varför arbetar vi fortfarande så mycket? Vad skulle hända om vi inte gjorde det? Hur skulle människor använda tiden då? Och om fler och fler slutar konsumera och upphör med denna 'commodity-intensive work and spend lifestyle' som länge varit normen.
Efter en historisk tillbakablick med Marx, Marcuse m.fl. ägnas flera kapitel åt fallstudier och exempel och det tillförde mycket att läsa det. En aning störande är de halvakademiska skribentmarkörerna "den här delen kommer att behandla..." senare följt av "i det här kapitlet såg vi...", i kommande kapitel kommer jag att...". Utan alla dessa hade boken blivit kortare och (ännu) mer läsbar.
Först mot slutet tas idén om medborgarlön (Basic Income) upp. En bok för den som kanske redan läser texter av Bodil Jönsson eller Roland Paulsen.
Efter en historisk tillbakablick med Marx, Marcuse m.fl. ägnas flera kapitel åt fallstudier och exempel och det tillförde mycket att läsa det. En aning störande är de halvakademiska skribentmarkörerna "den här delen kommer att behandla..." senare följt av "i det här kapitlet såg vi...", i kommande kapitel kommer jag att...". Utan alla dessa hade boken blivit kortare och (ännu) mer läsbar.
Först mot slutet tas idén om medborgarlön (Basic Income) upp. En bok för den som kanske redan läser texter av Bodil Jönsson eller Roland Paulsen.
sabrinahughes's review against another edition
4.0
Though 2015 feels like a century ago, this remains relevant, if a little quaint at times.
cakereads's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
so thought provoking. i’ve been ruminating on similar issues for a while, and this book gave me the framework and vocab to think more about it. it’s also very poignant to think about it within the singapore context, allegedly were the second most overworked country in the world.
safwah_ar's review against another edition
5.0
A thought-provoking book, which invites us to challenge the traditional notions of work in today's society. Interrogating the various emotions and general feelings of apathy surrounding work, Frayne suggests several pragmatic actions in order to decentralise work in our lives, and to invite more free time for our own personal growth and development outside of work.
As someone who had struggled with work-life "balance" during the periods when I was employed, I definitely support shorter working hours as a feasible solution to decentralise work from our lives. I am also intrigued by the interviews conducted with people who were not conventionally employed. Some of them let go of professional jobs in favour of more autonomy and free-time. However, their lives were not without difficulties as society's views on unemployed people are still unfavourable.
This book is definitely worth a read.
As someone who had struggled with work-life "balance" during the periods when I was employed, I definitely support shorter working hours as a feasible solution to decentralise work from our lives. I am also intrigued by the interviews conducted with people who were not conventionally employed. Some of them let go of professional jobs in favour of more autonomy and free-time. However, their lives were not without difficulties as society's views on unemployed people are still unfavourable.
This book is definitely worth a read.