In Defense of the Post-Work Future Study Notes
In Defense of the Post-Work Future
Introduction
Term Definition: Hikikomori
The Japanese word "hikikomori" translates to "to pull inwards and be confined."
Refers to living arrangements of approximately half a million Japanese adolescents and young adults (Jozuka 2016; Teo and Gaw 2010; Teo 2010).
Characterized as modern-day urban hermits who withdraw from society and its demands, living in digitally saturated homes.
Survive on entertainment and food facilitated by modern technology.
Some commentators (Teo 2010) suggest it’s a result of Japan’s intense educational and work culture, leading to withdrawal due to overwhelming pressure.
Other countries have reported similar cases (Ovejero et al. 2014).
The phenomenon was virtually non-existent before the 1970s, but its incidence is rising (Teo 2010).
Scope of Discussion
The author does not claim to be a psychologist but uses the hikikomori phenomenon to illustrate a broader argument.
Two key reasons for invoking hikikomori:
Represents a symptom of a deeper malaise concerning modern work culture and its psychological impact.
Suggests that withdrawal from economic life may offer a viable pathway to flourishing.
The chapter contrasts with others in the book by focusing on meaning/purpose-related losses from work, rather than income-related losses.
Many derive meaning and worth from their work; losing it or facing precarious work threatens this sense of purpose.
Previous arguments (Danaher 2017, 2018) indicate that the burden of work will increase with automation.
Work is Structurally Bad and Automation is Desirable
Premise That Work is Bad:
The first argument posits that work is fundamentally negative and its automation should be embraced.
Non-defensive stance on how automation can expedite the end of work is taken; numerous works are cited defending this point (Brynjolfsson & McAfee 2014; Ford 2015; Avent 2016; Frey & Osborne 2017).
Definition of Work:
Defined as economic employment—activities performed for intrinsic or expected monetary rewards (Danaher 2017).
Historical context includes known anti-work theorists asserting that work imprisons ordinary workers (Black 1986; Gorz 1989; Frayne 2015; Anderson 2017; Graeber 2018).
Recognition that many workers feel fulfilled by their jobs complicates the claim that work is purely negative.
Argument against “false consciousness” where individuals may be unaware of their bad work conditions.
Two main points:
Some work can be rewarding; however, the prevailing economic structures underpinning work are harmful and deteriorating (the "structural badness" thesis).
A life devoid of economic employment would offer more opportunities for fulfillment (the "opportunity cost" thesis).
Structural Badness of Work
Employment exists within a problematic framework defined by:
Labor markets, contract norms, welfare structures, all contributing to a deteriorating work experience.
Danaher (2018): Structure of work reflects a collective action problem, leading to outcomes detrimental to workers, such as:
Undermined freedoms, arbitrary domination, job precariousness, income inequality, and colonization of personal time by work demands.
Influence of technology increases surveillance, connectivity, fragmentation of jobs, and benefits only skilled workers, worsening conditions for many.
Opportunity Cost Thesis
Advocates for a life liberated from work pressures, leading to greater personal fulfillment.
This stance is essential for endorsing automation, as quick adoption should not rely on preserving current working conditions.
Bertrand Russell (1935) claims that freeing people from work allows for the development of higher virtues and contributes to societal advances.
However, freeing individuals must occur alongside ensuring economic security to prevent destitution; proposals for basic income are vital in this discourse.
Assumes a future where technological unemployment doesn’t strip away meaningful and fulfilling work; automation could also diminish the value we place on meaningful achievements.
Integrationist vs. Withdrawal Strategies
Proposal to embrace synergies with machines and develop integrative technology that enhances human capabilities without eliminating meaningful work.
Critique: Integrationist approach may revert back to undesirable work paradigms and is fraught with uncertainty regarding technological advancements.
Alternative Strategy of Withdrawal: Advocates withdrawing into a realm defined largely by ludic pursuits, including games.
This concept draws from previous thinkers like Bob Black and Bernard Suits who advocated a lifestyle devoid of work pressures, emphasizing leisure and play.
The Strategy of Withdrawal
To clarify, the strategy of withdrawal involves retreating from conventional societal demands into a non-instrumental existence characterized by play and enjoyment.
Definition of Game-like Existence:
Must disconnect from instrumental goals related to economic productivity, scientific achievements, or social inequality, allowing individuals to focus on relationships and imaginative pursuits.
Definition of a Game (Bernard Suits, 2005):
Activities aimed at arbitrarily defined ends (prelusory goals), pursued in rule-bound, inefficient manners (constitutive rules), embraced by players (lusory attitude) who willingly accept inefficiencies.
Triviality is essential; activities must not serve higher purposes or contribute to external goods, existing purely for enjoyment.
Critiques Addressed
Mistakes to Avoid:
An incorrect assumption that everything is trivial or game-like, i.e., a mischaracterization of serious pursuits like religion or significant work.
Graeber’s claim of current work as “bullshit jobs” doesn’t imply work is akin to a game; it still carries significant social implications.
Withdrawal from work pressures can lead to stronger engagement in personal relationships and promote a sense of societal value beyond economic measures.
Supporting Arguments for Withdrawal Strategy
(i) The Argument from Internal Goods and the Value of Craft
Proposes that game-like activities can foster craftsmanship and create internal goods, enhancing human flourishing.
Four premises outline this argument:
The craftsperson's life sustains human flourishing.
Economic pressures distort the craftsperson's life; optimal flourishing occurs away from these pressures.
A game-like world liberates from economic instrumental pressures, supporting the crafts.
Thus, the craftsperson thrives best within the game-like world.
Craftsmanship’s essence: dedication to skillful mastery, yielding intrinsic satisfaction distinct from production outcomes.
Philosophical support from MacIntyre emphasizes that true virtue is domain-dependent and that craft emerges as a relevant pursuit.
(ii) The Argument from Arendt
Hannah Arendt's (1958/98) categories of human activity: labor, work, action—derive a hierarchy of value.
Labor is repetitive and necessary for survival, while action signifies true human creativity.
Automation threatens to turn all human activity into labor; withdrawing to ludic experiences allows recovery of meaningful action.
Embracing technology’s disruptive potential can reclaim the narrative lost to rampant objectivity.
(iii) The Argument from Idleness
Addressing fears that withdrawal may lead to idleness or laziness, rebutting notions foundational thinkers held about the value of work in preventing idleness.
O’Connor's theory proposes idleness as a path toward authenticity, independence, and non-instrumental fulfillment.
Evidence from basic income experiments suggests that freedom from work traditionally leads to productive pursuits, not despair.
Final Criticism and Concerns
Recapitulation of the argument structure focusing on work's detriment and advocating for withdrawal as a meaningful response to societal pressures.
Addressing criticisms:
A heartfelt reflection on perceived impoverishment in withdrawal and disentangling the moral weight of subjective versus objective goods.
Re-emphasizing pluralistic human good notions and the cultural pedigree of ludic life.
Engagement with fears of withdrawal leading to selfish, isolated living, and the practicalities of achieving a withdrawal society amidst technological growth.
Bibliography
Comprehensive listing of works cited throughout the transcript including those by Anderson, Arendt, Black, Brynjolfsson, and others, providing rigorous academic backing for the ideas discussed.