I personally resent that the norm is that we spend 5/7 days of the bulk of our prime years at work.
What are your pros/cons to the 32 hour work week?
Well of course it'd be nice to work less than more. I mean, it'd be great if I could work 32, 22, 15 hours, whatever, and make the same money.
That's not really the issue. The issue is should the government mandate such a thing. The answer is absolutely no. The reasons for this have already been addressed in this thread so I'll just refer to those.
Besides, 40 hours really isn't anything. It wasn't that long ago that people spent 12-14 hours per day out in the fields just to survive (and there weren't "weekends" to get away from that). It'd be great for you to go back in time and tell one of those folks that you don't like to work 40 hours per week, and that you "only" have 128 remaining hours each week for everything else. They would probably point at you and laugh.
I personally resent that the norm is that we spend 5/7 days of the bulk of our prime years at work.
you resent the fact that capitalism allows you to pursue excellence, but you choose not to do so and have "the norm" (that's supposedly pushed on you) as a convenient excuse.
work 32 hours if you want, who is stopping you?
And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Well of course it'd be nice to work less than more. I mean, it'd be great if I could work 32, 22, 15 hours, whatever, and make the same money.
That's not really the issue. The issue is should the government mandate such a thing. The answer is absolutely no. The reasons for this have already been addressed in this thread so I'll just refer to those.
Besides, 40 hours really isn't anything. It wasn't that long ago that people spent 12-14 hours per day out in the fields just to survive (and there weren't "weekends" to get away from that). It'd be great for you to go back in time and tell one of those folks that you don't like to work 40 hours per week, and that you "only" have 128 remaining hours each week for everything else. They would probably point at you and laugh.
if people are counting their hours, they aren't doing what they should be doing.
And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
I personally resent that the norm is that we spend 5/7 days of the bulk of our prime years at work.
What are your pros/cons to the 32 hour work week?
as a member of my unions executive board we are currently negotiating an optional 4 day work week, but we must still work 37.5 a week. trust me, i will be the first to sign up! other agencies in my state already have the option.
but i personally feel that we work WAY too much. as you said, a nice chunk of your adult life (about 33%) is spent at work.
I figured we'd get some of this on here. We love to puff our chests and say "I work 70 (or whatever) hours a week." Then you are not professional or hard working or whatever if you don't.
Well I work 40. It is work. And I am in no way ashamed of that. I work in a field in which evening meetings , a few times a month, are sort of a necessary evil. So I guess I average a bit over 40.
I think it is totally healthy to work a 40 hour week (or whatever the standard should be). Working 70 hours a week, you'd damn well better love what you do. I like what I do, but not to the tune of 70 hours a week. If I did that, hours 50 to 70 would not be very productive anyway.
I cannot come up with a new sig till I get this egg off my face.
Surely the level of automation that we achieve in this century should allow us to work less while still getting paid the same amount...or more.
The bottom line is you only live for 75 years (give or take). Then you are dead and dead is forever. Sure, this provides a healthy argument for educating yourself to find a job you like...but the reality of most people's situation is that they have to find a job that will afford them the life they wish to live. A life which is typically drained down to two days on the weekend, and maybe 1? hour of free time per night.
It is not balanced.
Someone asked what I would rather do. The answer could be anything...
- it could be nothing
- it could be to spend time with the family/friends
- it could be to make/grow a website
- it could be to do whatever _I_ want to do
Even as it stands, one of our weekend days is typically eaten up by necessity chores: laundry, cleaning, yardwork, groceries, other responsibilities. And that leaves only 1/7 days of the week...1/7 of your life ...for chilling out and doing w/e the hell you want to do.
I figured we'd get some of this on here. We love to puff our chests and say "I work 70 (or whatever) hours a week." Then you are not professional or hard working or whatever if you don't.
Well I work 40. It is work. And I am in no way ashamed of that. I work in a field in which evening meetings , a few times a month, are sort of a necessary evil. So I guess I average a bit over 40.
I think it is totally healthy to work a 40 hour week (or whatever the standard should be). Working 70 hours a week, you'd damn well better love what you do. I like what I do, but not to the tune of 70 hours a week. If I did that, hours 50 to 70 would not be very productive anyway.
I laugh at people who are single and work 70 hour weeks. And I just feel sorry for the family members of those who aren't single and work 70 hour weeks. You are being abused by your employer, and if you are your own employer, you are abusing yourself.
When you make comments to me that 40h a week is nothing, you are not conveying the message you think you are conveying to me. It tells me one of three things...A: you really really love your work and would do it for free if you weren't paid for it. or B: you need more time to do what someone in that role would complete in a shorter workweek. or C: as mentioned above, you are being abused by your employer.
EDIT: this was meant for the quote of the quote I quoted...if that makes any sense!
Comments
Well of course it'd be nice to work less than more. I mean, it'd be great if I could work 32, 22, 15 hours, whatever, and make the same money.
That's not really the issue. The issue is should the government mandate such a thing. The answer is absolutely no. The reasons for this have already been addressed in this thread so I'll just refer to those.
Besides, 40 hours really isn't anything. It wasn't that long ago that people spent 12-14 hours per day out in the fields just to survive (and there weren't "weekends" to get away from that). It'd be great for you to go back in time and tell one of those folks that you don't like to work 40 hours per week, and that you "only" have 128 remaining hours each week for everything else. They would probably point at you and laugh.
you resent the fact that capitalism allows you to pursue excellence, but you choose not to do so and have "the norm" (that's supposedly pushed on you) as a convenient excuse.
work 32 hours if you want, who is stopping you?
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
if people are counting their hours, they aren't doing what they should be doing.
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
as a member of my unions executive board we are currently negotiating an optional 4 day work week, but we must still work 37.5 a week. trust me, i will be the first to sign up! other agencies in my state already have the option.
but i personally feel that we work WAY too much. as you said, a nice chunk of your adult life (about 33%) is spent at work.
I think it's about 4 days too long.
the other foot in the gutter
sweet smell that they adore
I think I'd rather smother
-The Replacements-
Keep it real....
Well I work 40. It is work. And I am in no way ashamed of that. I work in a field in which evening meetings , a few times a month, are sort of a necessary evil. So I guess I average a bit over 40.
I think it is totally healthy to work a 40 hour week (or whatever the standard should be). Working 70 hours a week, you'd damn well better love what you do. I like what I do, but not to the tune of 70 hours a week. If I did that, hours 50 to 70 would not be very productive anyway.
The bottom line is you only live for 75 years (give or take). Then you are dead and dead is forever. Sure, this provides a healthy argument for educating yourself to find a job you like...but the reality of most people's situation is that they have to find a job that will afford them the life they wish to live. A life which is typically drained down to two days on the weekend, and maybe 1? hour of free time per night.
It is not balanced.
Someone asked what I would rather do. The answer could be anything...
- it could be nothing
- it could be to spend time with the family/friends
- it could be to make/grow a website
- it could be to do whatever _I_ want to do
Even as it stands, one of our weekend days is typically eaten up by necessity chores: laundry, cleaning, yardwork, groceries, other responsibilities. And that leaves only 1/7 days of the week...1/7 of your life ...for chilling out and doing w/e the hell you want to do.
It is _really_ not balanced.
Hehe...it does. How's the air conditioning, wherever you are? The cars? How about that computer?
I laugh at people who are single and work 70 hour weeks. And I just feel sorry for the family members of those who aren't single and work 70 hour weeks. You are being abused by your employer, and if you are your own employer, you are abusing yourself.
When you make comments to me that 40h a week is nothing, you are not conveying the message you think you are conveying to me. It tells me one of three things...A: you really really love your work and would do it for free if you weren't paid for it. or B: you need more time to do what someone in that role would complete in a shorter workweek. or C: as mentioned above, you are being abused by your employer.
EDIT: this was meant for the quote of the quote I quoted...if that makes any sense!
Once again, the solution to all our problems: CHILD LABOR
The Child Labor people have been watching me like a hawk.
--Mr. Burns
lol