Our American economy needs you to work nothing less than 40 hours per week. The message is simple: earn more, collect belongings, and don’t stop until you retire/die. Unless you meet this expectation, be prepared to be called lazy and unproductive — stuck in the unfortunate world of lower and middle incomes. And if you’re not doing something that makes more money than your neighbor, you ought to think about changing careers.
McMansions, vehicles, and stores grow. In turn, our consumption escalates. We need more to fill our bigger homes; otherwise, they feel empty. Meanwhile, our wallets are stripped and we maintain this cycle of work and near poverty — just getting by. Despite going through a horrific “great recession” over the last few years, companies have continued to report record revenue and profits. The business world is clearly benefiting from our workweek and continued spend.
This current system is predicated on infinite growth. If you’re not continually benefiting from pay raises and getting promoted, you’re not doing it right. Since the Industrial Revolution, we haven’t stopped to seriously question what we’ve created and amassed. Like worker zombies, it’s hard not to see the countless hours we put into companies — all so that we reach financial independence.
Unfortunately, infinite growth has two awful consequences: unstable population and climate change. The world population was about 300 million in 1000 AD. The Industrial Revolution sparked atmospheric population increases. Now, the U.S. alone has around 300 million citizens. There are over 7 billion people on the planet, and that number is rapidly increasing.
As we developed more efficient means to produce and manufacture goods, fossil fuel use increased and never stopped. The delicate balance of carbon dioxide in the air shifted and it devastated our climate. We are suffering from an inescapable greenhouse gas effect where the temperature of Earth rises and natural disasters worsen. Even when faced with this dire news, we make a societal shrug and continue to pump out record amounts of oil and coal to feed growth.
The market demands this. If you watch the stock market, you’ll see investors and institutions pressure companies for constant revenue growth. Stagnation is likened to the death of a company — maintenance isn’t enough. We have a myopic economic policy of long-term instability for short-term riches. Profits over people is a rewarded mantra on Wall Street, and it leads to absurd business practices that hurt their employees and our environment further.
We live in a world where the Koch brothers are lobbying to tax alternative energy sources, Microsoft stock (MSFT) increases when they announce thousands in job cuts, and corporate executives are paid, on average, 350-to-1 for regular employees. Incontrovertible evidence suggests that we are causing irreparable harm to our environment, while we maintain this status quo.
It’s time to break out of this cyclical destruction. We need to find another method to contribute to society in a positive manner — one that doesn’t cause harm to future generations and massive environmental diaspora.
It may all start with reducing our workweek, because the 40-hour schedule is destructive:
“The eight-hour workday developed during the industrial revolution in Britain in the 19th century, as a respite for factory workers who were being exploited with 14- or 16-hour workdays.
As technologies and methods advanced, workers in all industries became able to produce much more value in a shorter amount of time. You’d think this would lead to shorter workdays.
But the 8-hour workday is too profitable for big business, not because of the amount of work people get done in eight hours (the average office worker gets less than three hours of actual work done in 8 hours) but because it makes for such a purchase-happy public. Keeping free time scarce means people pay a lot more for convenience, gratification, and any other relief they can buy. It keeps them watching television, and its commercials. It keeps them unambitious outside of work.”
The idea of changing this age-old work life is gaining popularity. In Sweden, government offices are attempting a shift to a 6-hour workday:
“Municipal staff in Gothenburg will act as guinea pigs in a proposed push for six-hour workdays with full pay, with hopes that it will cut down on sick leave, boost efficiency, and ultimately save Sweden money.”
See, the Swedes understand that by cutting back, their employees will be more productive with their time and suffer from less burnout. Even in capitalistic America, the founders of Google are beginning to advocate for reductions in our workweek. In the following video, the tech titans are advocating for this change for a more productive future.
There’s a tragic irony about this whole problem: we developed technologies, vehicles, and our massive global economy to increase productivity. But who’s really benefited from these changes except a select few? Most workers are working more than ever, despite record productivity and profitability. We haven’t invented and invested in a technology that truly eased our workweeks.
The system is broken and skewed. We have an opportunity to respect our fellow humans and environment — for generations to come. Perhaps it’s time to shift forward, and evolve towards empathy and positive economic models. Perhaps it’s time to emphasize healthy companies over exorbitant profits. Infinite growth is not sustainable on a planet with finite resources. Let’s throwaway these antiquated economic ideals.
Though it is somewhat surprising in this age of efficiency that cutting the workday would work as a viable solution, the reasons you stated in the post explain that. Mainly that our economic machine thrives on people who work all day and fill the remainder of their lives with things because they are just too tired to do anything else. It’s one of the many tricks the elite use to keep the middle and lower class right where they are. And it works.
How will Americans feed their families or have a place to live?
I’ve never subscribed to the traditional 40 hour work week, but I do marvel at those who do it. I don’t know how they keep their sanity.
one day at a time
tru dat 🙂 one day at a time – and on and on and on…..
it’s not so bad…
I work 40 hours a week and it’s not fun at all. And that’s 8 hours per day at work, but the time dedicated to work are definitely more than 8. When you factor getting ready to work and commuting to and from work, that 8 hours turn more into 10 hours, which gives you only 4 to 5 hours to do personal things before you go back to sleep and start all over again.
I’m all for the 6 hour work day, but until that day comes I’ll continue to make changes in my life so I only have to work whenever I want to and not because I have to.
I’m not so sure on 6 hours a day. It just seems quite inefficient to me, when you factor in commuting etc. Maybe when we are allowed to all do remote working and do it effectively that might work. At the moment I would rather work 10 hour days and have an extra day for the weekend! Or maybe employers could just be ultra flexible and give people the choice (I am certain my preference would not work for people with children for example)
On the rest of the article, I agree with everything you’ve written (It’s hard not to really for any sane, non greed driven human individual I think!?). Funnily enough I’ve just written a post along similar ideas myself, hope you don’t mind me posting the link: http://thefirestarter.co.uk/happynomics-end-world-know/ – See what you think! Cheers!
The 40-hr work week is silly, indeed. I should know as it’s what I’m currently doing. I get restless trying to work on basically the same task all day long. A few managers have questioned why I get up from my desk every hour. Our brains can only concentrate on a task for 45-minutes. This is crazy.
I work around 60 hours a week and it’s beginning to take it’s toll. I’d be all for a 6 hour day!
Nicola,
I’m right there with you! 60-80 hour weeks when the school year begins. It can be tough. I’d love a 6-hour day, too. Let’s fight for it, eh?! 🙂
Sam
Definitely! What a difference that would make!
I agree. I hated when I was at a job and I had to stay there because I had to put in 40 hours. I got all my work done and even reached out to others to help them. No one had work for me. So I played solitaire and chess on my PC until I could punch out. It was a waste of my time and my employers time but they didn’t care…as long as I was there for my 40 hours, they were happy.
My hubs works 40 hours every week or sometimes higher than that, but he doesn’t mind after all because he definitely loves his job. He told me that when he goes to his work every day he would forget his time and never notice that it’s time to go home already.
Kate,
I’m glad your husband enjoys that work-life. I think this is an important concept that you’re touching upon: some people thoroughly enjoy their jobs and love their schedule. My approach and argument is not to suggest that we abolish the 40-hour; rather, that we approach it from a health standpoint and understand that the vast majority of people are overworked and a portion are doing jobs they don’t enjoy.
Tell your husband to keep it up! What’s his job!? I might need to get into this business. 😉
Sam
I would love a 6 hour work day! Even a 35 hour work week would be much better. I’ve worked 45 – 50 hours for too much of my career. In Europe they work long days but they get more vacation days, generally.
Some people work more than 8 hours and love it, but for all the people who are working to live, this makes a lot of sense. I wonder what the changes would be if everyone had an extra two hours a day. How would they use them? Just relaxing, or pursuing other projects they’re more passionate about? I suppose it would depend on the individual.
“The average office worker gets less than three hours of actual work done in 8 hours” This is all about moving to reducing unemployment, and increasing supply to lower to middle class jobs so they don’t have to pay the workers as much while raising production/ productive work. This in no way will fix income equality as the only people will gain is the rich.
Ke Ke,
Great point! Income inequality is another variable that we must also address. The abolishment of a 40-hour workweek shouldn’t be based in profit (solely). We must address executive compensation and the workweek.
Thanks for your comment,
Sam
I’m doing a 40 hour workweek… Which includes 2×8 hour days, 2×9 hour days and 1×6 hour day. I hate the days where we have to stay 9 hours. It’s a total fucking nightmare.
I’m at 9.5 hours per day. In that time span, only 5 hours is spent doing actual work-this seems to be the norm. Lets be realistic, and fix the work week. Change is good!!
First world problem. Try 2nd or 3rd world survival. Maybe like one of the kids on the dumps in Mexico City. Be thankful.
But those kids aren’t working not have jobs.
Tim,
Thank you for your comment. The goal of my article is not to be an either/or argument. “Either we fix the first world or save the starving children.” Instead, my aim is towards the betterment of all. I want to live under the mantra of, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” We can be in a developed nation, pioneering healthy, humane work practices, while helping to be a beacon to the rest of the world, too.
Sam
The best way to work reduced hours is to run your own business instead of setting up a straw man argument criticizing the traditional work culture. My guess if you run your own business only 3 days a week you will fail. When the goal becomes the amount of work versus the goal of providing a quality service or product failure is inevitable.
Tim,
The idea here is to lower the hours worked per week as a whole, not because “people are lazy and don’t want to work” but to give people time to work for themselves. You are correct that if someone started their own business and only worked at it 3 days a week 99% of the time they’re going to fail. The mandatory 40 hour work week benifits big business because to challenge them a small business start up is going to require 60-80+ hours a week by the owner and keeps the employees of the larger business from having time to do things for themselves and keeps us all dependent on the convenience goods the large corporations produce. If we cut the work day in half people would have more time to do things for themselves as well as follow their own individual passions, would there be some people that just take the other half of the day and do nothing with it? Yes but speaking as someone that’s been bed ridden for the past three months and is almost to the point of physically needing something productive to do before I go insane, eventually the people who waste that time will run out of leisure activities or just grow bored with them and seek out something else to do, or we just end up with a class of deadbeats but we have those now and at least they would be able to care for themselves instead of relying on society to carry them.
I work Monday-Thursday 6 hours a day at the office and 4 hours Friday at home. My salary is based on 40 hours. I’ve been working this schedule for over six years.
What’s your job? 🙂
I’m not sure that I agree with measuring work in terms of time. If we lower it to 6 hours, why not lower to 4? If 4, why not 2? I think that this is a flawed way to approach it, because it puts the focus on the work, and not on the production.
To the extent possible, I believe it would be ideal to organize work days and weeks around projects or tasks, rather than around time. This also has the added element of encouraging innovation and efficiency. If I have set task or project that I must complete before I leave, then my day is not organized around time, but rather around finding the most efficient way to complete that task. To me, as someone who has had an office job but also as a business owner, this is the hybrid solution.
This is exactly how work is structured for everyone we employ in our company. It works out way better for everyone in the end.
Working based on the project/task is the ideal. I haven’t been lucky enough to find a perfect balance yet; especially because I am more productive at certain times of the day instead of the prescribed 8 to 5.
Im an interactive art director and we just switched to the model of working on task based time instead of clocking in and out. They gauge profit and velocity of the team by the velocity of tasks completed and not on time clocked in/out. Its better for the worker because when im done i can just leave. Its better for the company because the data they get is actual time worked statistics so the transparency for the profit margin is great. I no longer watch the clock at 4pm and know that i have to sit there and ‘ look busy’ for 2 hours.
It would be informative if Mr. Lustgarten could start a small business on this premise, and then come back to report his results.
> Microsoft stock (MSFT) increases when they announce thousands in job cuts
I don’t follow. I don’t mean to defend Microsoft (I don’t use any of their products) but investors thought it’s a good idea for Microsoft to fire workers who are not providing value to the company. What’s wrong with that?
Also, those fired workers no longer have to work 40+ hours, so why don’t you portray it positively?
There are two parts to this: fuel and acceleration. One year I worked two jobs: 12hrs/day, 6days/week at a tech startup (8am – 8pm) and 3/hrs night shift Fri & Sat as a bartender (9pm -12pm+). Sunday was my holy day. Of course this was not healthy nor was it worth the ROI. Being young allows me to have more fuel to accelerate through workdays but it also means I’m more susceptible to burn out faster – which is exactly what happened. I transitioned to a 40-50 hr work week and, in comparison, this was (and continues) to be just fine.
But this ongoing debate about ideal work/life balance is completely subjective. I found a job (web dev) where I enjoy what I’m doing because I worked through rigorous environments allowing me to get a better idea of what suits me best. I have friends that do not put the rigor in to truly discover themselves and I have friends who do – as I’m sure everyone does.
What’s most interesting about this is the quote about being “purchase-happy”. I think this has more to do with capacity as it relates to fuel and acceleration. Our capacity to hold enough fuel to accelerate at the paces we find comfortable dwindles or sustains in relation to the million+ factors influencing our physical and mental state. This is why I find it hard to really jest on any ground when discussing “ideal” work/life schedules. Some people go though period where working 80/hrs week is a NECESSITY. Some people view working 40/hrs a week as a privilege. Some people are physically and/or mentally incapable of working more than 20/hrs a week. We generate fuel through different habits; sleeping, eating, love, family, happiness, security, acceptance, peace. These are our natural sources.
But what happens when a company does not value these natural sources for fuel? What happens when quotas, upsells, and pretending to be someone who you’re not everyday becomes FORCED? The X/hr workweek does not matter. It can be 30/hrs a week or 60/hrs.
And this is where the epicenter of “worklife” lives – company culture and values. Trying to find the most ideal x/hr workweek is like trying to fix a perfectly working wheel. The focus should be fixing the minds of those who use the wheels “incorrectly”.
Hear hear! One quibble though: it’s not quite true that the market demands this. We, the people, consumers and producers alike, are the market. The market here is constrained to the 40hr work week by a multitude of regulations and assumptions codified into law, affecting everything from full/part time work status to preferential tax treatment to labor laws. Many of these laws are design innocent enough but they happened to be designed in the context of a 40hr work week being paramount. That assumption, now cast in steel, is now inflexible to more modern needs and demands.
Those wishing to change the status quo should seek to end tax treatment of employer provided healthcare, reform of overtime wage rules, reform payroll taxes, and overall placing freelancers, small business and independent contractors on equal footing with W2 labor.
The classic struggle of labor vs employer has been waged entirely within the context of the W2 9-to-5 employment paradigm. That entire war has been fought within the confines of a prison.
This article just popped up from Inc.com – How one of the richest men in the world thinks most people work too many hours: http://www.inc.com/Fiscal-Times/carlos-slim-says-you-are-working-too-hard.html?cid=sf01001
He says to work less when you’re young and then work into your 70’s. Personally, I work a lot now and save 85% of my income so I can retire by 30…
Horsefeathers. I’ve traveled extensively, and I’m not talking about staying in five-star hotels. I mean places where people live in huts constructed from cast off artillery ammo crates and are thankful they have a roof. The price of advanced civilization is the productivity required to sustain it. Those who are incapable of producing do not the get the privilege of dragging society down with their laziness. If you think working 40 hours per week in an office is somehow difficult and demeaning, try 84 hours per week of subsistence farming.
Now stop whining about how mistreated you are and get back to work. You can whine on the weekend — which didn’t exist as concept until less than a century ago.
Okay, listen. Living in New York city, I used to work a job at a fire alarm safety company. I would have to commute 2 hours from staten island to Woodside queens every day, and the same back AFTER my 8-10 hour work week was completed. So realistically, I was dedicating 12-14 hours a day to this company (who realistically could give a shit about my health, or me in general), 6 days a week. Now I’m not sure if you know how math works, but that allows for 12-10 hours a day for literally everything else a human being must do to live a healthy life. Oh, before anything let’s take sleep out of the equation, which the recommended allotment is 8 hours a day. Now you have 2-4 hours a day to maintain physical health, which includes going to the grocery store (amongst any other store deemed necessary), cooking for yourself as opposed to ordering food every day (which is far from economical and even less healthy for your body), exercising (also deemed necessary for a healthy lifestyle) maintaining a clean household, and not to mention if you have children, which spending time with your children once, maybe twice a week, is not good for any parties involved. And again, prepping food, cooking and cleaning takes at least 2 hours. Exercise 1 hour a day (which isnt a lot)? Now we’re down to a literal 0-1 hour of free time a day. Now unless you’re some sort of android, 1 hour of free time a day is enough to drive a person insane. We’re human beings for the most part, and leisure is a necessity. Not laziness, leisure. Sure maybe you were raised to beleive that a person should only have the weekend to themselves (well, unless you require that Saturday of work to keep up with Bill’s and what not) but just because you were raised that way doesnt mean that it’s the proper way to live a healthy lifestyle. Heart attacks, domestic abuse, divorce and even suicide are all major results (but far from the only ones) of people having no free time to themselves and their families. You do know that in the 1800s 16 hours a day was normalized, correct? Well let’s look at the mortality rate back then, shall we? Or better so, take some free time out of your 86 hour work week to research it yourself. Oh wait, you dont have enough time to do that because your too busy spending the entirety of your time working? That definately does not sound like any way to live. And yeah, I know. “First world country problems” well just as a pretense, I’m not saying that 2nd and 3rd world countries have an excusable normalization of their society. Every country should operate in the fashion mentioned above. Also, here’s another fun fact. If this country wasnt so determined to become and retain its position as the top world power by using other people and countries as stepping stones, with zero regard for the well-being of others, well then we would have a lot less impoverished people and nations in this world. Were all part of the same planet, and racing to the top while stomping on others leads to so many world issues. Take that free time to watch some Star Trek. I know, the science fiction aspect makes it seem like even more of a fairy tale, especially considering greed and evil are part of our illustrious human nature. But there is a bigger picture, which is not stranger than fiction.
Interesting take on this Sam! While I do think we work too much during the week and that shows just in how unproductive we all are for most of the time we are at work.
Now, I will say this doesn’t translate much to small business owners, who put in way more work than the average salaried employee. They run the whole thing and they are constantly on the go. If they were to only work a few hours a day, their business would collapse.
I agree with what the problems are – many people agree with you. But what about the solution? I’m not so sure I agree – reducing the workweek will not solve these problems.
Instead of making some corporation rich, why not start your own business based on what you love, something that matters to you, something that brings something good to the world?
Euvie,
I love the idea of starting an independent business, but that might not be most appropriate for everyone. That certainly takes a firm grasp on money management issues and legal work that some are not well equipped to pursue.
You’re right that there would still be problems — even with a reduced workweek. It would take a systemic shift to better the environment and income inequality, too. But I believe the workweek is one the essential variables to a better society.
Thanks for your comment,
Sam
The 6 hour workday originated in America. Check out the Kellogg Experiment. For at least 30+ years the employees worked 6 hours a day. They were super productive, happy, etc. Then, Kellogg changed the work day to 8 hours. Everything dropped substantially.
There’s a fine line between work/life balance.The circumstances and enviroment of the individual sometimes determines this balance.
I would like to offer this-enviroment and circumstance can be changed.
Having worked in manual labor,entertainment and in the corporate world,I found it difficult to achieve balance.
This is a Six Sigma universe.
After being laid off is 2012,I tried a different approach in the work from home industry.Some opportunities paid off while others didn’t.
The positive is,I was able to control my personal balance of work/leisure/life time,while still being able to earn a living.
There are a lot of variables beyond our control in the “9-5 world”.
.
People live in fear,distrust and disillusionment,people are hurting financially and most see the only solution to the problem is to spend more time at work while sacrificing their own time.
The Black Sabbath song “Killing Yourself To Live” comes to mind when I read these types of articles and blogs.Especially when I read the comments of people offering their own stories.
Most people are doing what they HAVE to do,instead of what they WANT to do.
There are the few that do love their jobs and see it as time well spent.
What’s the old saying “When your hobby becomes your career-you never work another day in your life”.
I’m one of those now and it’s not luck.
It was about me deciding to take a chance,to take my destiny into my own hands
As an IBO for The Wake Up Mission,I found my solution and would like to offer it to anyone who is seeking change our solution.
I wish the best for you all in whichever path you choose.
Great post. I hadn’t thought about it in all these aspects. I am curious to see how Sweden’s productivity increases.
Super-interesting topic. I recall reading ages ago that the corner solution to all this — in terms of hourly productivity, at least — is at 35 hours, with the proof coming either from titan of industry like Henry Ford, or from a study related to France’s productivity compared to Germany’s when the former switched to the 35-hour work week. I can do some digging, I suppose.
I don’t know what my personal answer is as it’s something I’ve never attempted. As it happens, the jobs where I’ve been the happiest have been at either extreme — working fewer than 40 hours and working far more than 40 hours.
I’ve always been an office worker and never truly enjoyed it. Then I had the opportunity to sell sausage and pepper sandwiches at an Open House one year. Oh my goodness, it was the most fun I’d ever had working. I loved the simplicity of it. Someone was hungry. They gave you some money. You handed them the sandwich. Simple joy. I still dream of doing that on a beach someday. Definitely not 40 hours a week. 20 tops! Great post, Sam, as always! You are always turning that prism for us. 🙂
Thanks for the encouragement Kathy! 🙂
Great stuff in this post! It’s so true how the 8 hour work day has created ‘purchase happy consumers’.
The 8 hour work day was a great idea for the Industrial Age, people were able to work for their secure jobs and then go home to their families. The problem is we are now in the Information Era, and our old habits need to change to keep up with our changing lifestyles.
I look at it this way, we are supposed to get 8 hours of sleep per day, and work another 8 hours. So we that leaves us with only 1/3 of our day, and 1/3 of our lives to do the things we want to do, and by that time we are too tired to do anything.
It’s time we stop accepting this as the norm and create the lifestyle we want for ourselves.
Thank you for this eye opening post!
George,
Thanks so much for your comment! Great to have you following along. Means a lot!
What an insightful take with the understanding that we’re in a new age that requires new approaches to business. The Information Era is one of the most productive periods in human history, and yet, we work more than ever! What gives? How can this be?
Well said, let’s stop accepting this capitalistic norm. 🙂
Sam
I know I’m late to the conversation here, as I just found your blog a couple of weeks ago… I am a professional engineer and at one time was making 6-figures. I don’t need that much and I don’t want to spend 40-hours per week sitting in a cubicle. I am big proponent of giving employees the option of part time work. I would take a less hourly wage and negotiate lower benefits, but I just want to work part time because I’m too young retire. Now, I quit my full time job and I freelance, but I find this is hard because many companies still want a full time employee instead of a contract or project based worker.
You are right, that this mindset needs to change as more and more people are moving towards simple living and minialism and we need to have alternatives to the 40-hour work week. I’d love to see more people joining in on this movement and let companies see what really makes employees happy and productive!
I thought I was crazy. This article makes me feel more sane.
The 40 hour work week working 5 eight hour days in a row sucks. 2 off days Saturday and Sunday. It gets old fast and causes burn out. Burn out means you are tired of it and had enough. Problem is for most people the cycle continous and continuous. Unless you like your job, not many do, it seems you are wasting your life.
My solution work 4 eight hour shifts per week for 32 hours total. You get that day off whenever you want in the week. I would choose Wednesday so it’s 2 says work, day off, 2 days work, and 2 days off. You may not like this but if you want to get paid for 40 hours then work 40 hours. By working 32 hours you get paid for 32 hours.
Here in the UK employers are actually forcing staff to work far more than 40 hours a week and/or make them work harder and harder. This is why they have slowly eroded trade unions, to the point where most of them are useless. In retail the lower wage slaves can get away with working less than 40 hours. But the managers are often spending insanely long hours inside the stores as they are put under immense pressure to meet targets. I worked in retail and my manager was spending 12 hours a day easily inside the store. He ended up having an operation due to health problems caused by stress. His marriage was suffering at home too because of it. I know a courier driver who works 12 hours shifts and says its almost unheard of for drivers to get ‘only’ 8 hours a day. I also knew a white collar office worker from London who spent a minimum of 10 hours at work. And then 4 hours commuting each day! He eventually got so sick of it, he got trained as a teacher and migrated to some quiet place abroad!
Really late to this conversation, but I just found this blog. I am a nurse and I work in such a way that I can work as many or as few hours as I choose. My preference is three 8 hour shifts per week. Sometimes people need more help and I want more money so I’ll pick up more and sometimes I just do the three. I like to have the flexibility to work this way as it frees up more of my time to spend with my kids. I have to be frugal in order to make ends meet, but it is more than worth it for the freedom of time. I also am blessed that my three regular shifts are located less than 5 minutes from my house so that is helpful with time as well. I used to have to work three to four, and on rare occasion five 12 hour shifts a week and that drove me to become completely burned out. I was at the point where I was ready to leave a career that I had once truly enjoyed. Now I am able to once again enjoy what I do. I think more jobs need flexible work hours for employees to not get burned out, sick, and fed up.
“Keeping free time scarce means people pay a lot more for convenience, gratification, and any other relief they can buy. It keeps them watching television, and its commercials. It keeps them unambitious outside of work.”
This hit the nail on the head for me. I never had any ambition to become a business owner / entrepreneur until a few years after the recession in 2008 hit us, and was actually physically and mentally able to think outside of the box. I was a worker / 8 hour go-getter-bee just like 95% of the country and thought that this is what the standard “American Dream” is supposed to be all my life. I was taught this all throughout my life, and boy was that a lie. After the recession in 2008, I was let go a year later in a massive layoff with many others in the company I was working at the time (on Cinco De Mayo, can never forget that day). After countless hours, days, and months of sending resumes and not being able to find work, unemployment was still letting me survive, thanks and gratitude to Mr. #BO. At around 2010 my unemployment had dried up, and thankfully I was able to find a small part time job working as a customer service rep for the Salvation Army, that paid a whole lot less, but It was something. Around this same time I was introduced to entrepreneurship by a friend and it gave me a whole new sense an ideas of whats possible out there and real possibility of working independently instead of having a soul sucking 8 hour kill-your-ambitions job. That time and my friend I am truly grateful for because it gave me the newly found ambition, and now the time and financial freedom. I no longer have to drive a car to work in traffic both ways and not participate in climate change, 2 hours a day. I live where I work, and get to take care and be with my kids 24/7. I will never ever enlist myself to going back to corporate slavery ever again. #JustSaying #fucka9to5forever #YouCanDoItToo #JustAsk