Something I was thinking about in the car today, shuffling through songs that glorify The Hustle, talk about how money is all that matters…It got me wondering if there’s too much media that tells us that working ourselves to death is the only way to live.
Yes, I am of course aware that there’s plenty of media about living a life of leisure, rebelling against the grind, and so on. I’m am of course also aware that a solid work ethic is a generally positive trait.
So the question I guess comes down to balance. What do you see as the prevailing message in the media you see/hear/read? Is it, “Work as hard and amass as much money as you possibly can and nothing else matters?” Or do you see something different/better?
When you say media, do you mean Rap?
Not sure about OP, but I see this in tons of genres of music along with a lot of films/shows. Working hard, even if not compensated enough to live a happy life, is often portrayed as the best thing you can do while relaxing and not wanting to work is portrayed as lazy and undesirable.
just like these wealthy people releasing thier daily schedule to the media, activities as being “busy” when in fact they have so much time to do anything else but work,
Never forget Musk “works” 120 hours a week, but has enough time to nonstop tweet out random nonsense
silly, hes able to do that becauses hes on cocaine 24/7
The prevailing message in media I see is that the workers should unionise
To be honest I only interpret that kind of messaging as “buy my course!” shilling. nobody in real life believes that, so I just disregard it as if I was reading an ad. barely notice it.
Not really anymore. I think it was definitely the dominant messaging in the 2010s when people were fighting to be rewarded for their hustle (e.g., lean-in feminism, LGBTQ consumerism, Asian Americans as tech entrepreneurs, rise of the [insert minority here] owned business labeling, etc.), but I find the pendulum has been swinging back the other way towards nihilist external-locus-of-control counterculture. I think we are slowly realizing as a society that we can’t, in fact, work our asses out of systemic oppression by the elites.
Whats funny is I used to be more motivated to be that way but its because my motivation is more intrinsict and I worked in research and such. Its hard to feel excited to contribute if society is not moving net positive for people in general.
I work my ass off. More than anyone would think is reasonable. Thing is I’m not sure what else to do with myself anyway.
But also I’m sitting at a resort with the love of my life in the Dominican Republic soaking my balls in a pleasantly cool pool and smoking a cigar. Which I can do because I work my ass off. I wouldn’t tell anyone they should follow my example because I’m probably going to work myself into an early heart attack and there are plenty of less expensive ways to enjoy yourself on a week off. And my back is so bad from sitting at a desk all day that I can barely walk most mornings.
But right at this moment I feel like I’m living my best life. And swimming in the ocean every day has improved my back so much in a week. I need to get a house on the ocean some day.
Idk if this sounds like humble bragging I don’t mean it that way. I really have nothing to do with my time but work. I don’t have any friends other than family and whomever happens to sit nearby for a few minutes. I really don’t recommend it if you’re not driven to be this way.
There’s an interesting video on this topic: “Hollywood’s obsession with ambition”
You might find it interesting, also gives examples of the opposite portrayed in media.
It’s a peculiar thing
Very American
I want to work as little as I possibly can. I have plenty to do with my life and making money for someone else isn’t important to me
It seems to be a very common thing in the US, and some around here takes to it from social media, but most people are to busy prioritising life to jump into such a depressing mindset.
not at all, I’m 60, semi retired at 35 and fully retired at 40.
i say work your ass off
I’m am of course also aware that a solid work ethic is a generally positive trait.
I saw a columnist opine we need work or people will get up to no end of mischief.
More people need to do less, most of the destruction of the environment on which we all depend is people doing endless busy work.
I think it just depends on what music you’re listening to. I wasn’t able to think of any songs I’ve been listening to in the last year or two that glorified the hustle, if anything they do the opposite. Here’s an example that came to mind when I saw this post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1bW2MBdyLw
Who the hell is writing songs glorifying working too much?
“Work as hard and amass as much money as you possibly can and nothing else matters?” Or do you see something different/better?
The hell with money obsession (I quit a great job many years ago, to get my life back).
But making stuff is not just about earning money. It’s about making. Making something out of nothing or out of some raw material (be it a piece of wood before one starts sculpting it, or some vague idea before one starts making a book out of it). And that, that is indeed hard work. It requires efforts, humility (one needs to be ok with being bad at first), and patience (o learn to get better at doing it).
Imvho, that hard work is the very reason why we’re alive, we just need to re-learn that it works as well without making a business out of it.
That kind of media doesn’t really appeal to me so I don’t consume it. A lot of rap and country is about that (in different ways; hustling vs working hard at your job). The only recent show or movie I watched that I can think of that emphasizes overworking is The Pitt, but I’m not sure it glorifies it.
I do think working hard (or smart or whatever) is important and admirable, but only if the work is exceptionally important and beneficial to society (not most work), and not if you’re being exploited by your employer (most work). The most important work is probably the labor people don’t typically get paid to do (or get paid little).
I’m also of the opinion that trying to work too much is usually counterproductive and people get less work done. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of studies that confirm this.
I think only in US which has tons of really weird propaganda (glorifying police violence, military, nationalism, capitalism and so on). In Europe I think this is mostly promoted in some corporate circles which are very “Americanized”.
