Recently Vice took on the issue of the
4-hour workday. As technology has progressed, it was thought that people would have to work less. It was thought that the 4-hour workday was obtainable. That has sadly turned out not to be the case.
The new dream of overwork has taken hold with remarkable tenacity. Hardly anyone talks about expecting or even deserving shorter workdays anymore; the best we can hope for is the perfect job, one that also happens to be our passion. In the dogged, lonely pursuit of it, we don't bother organizing with our co-workers. We're made to think so badly of ourselves as to assume that if we had more free time, we'd squander it.
In the pursuit of our passion because our job is supposed to be our passion. (Please someone tell me how being a bank teller is anyone's passion?) We are working longer hours or multiple jobs to support ourselves and our families.
The early 1900's saw workers organizing to fight for an 8-hour workday. The achieved this and it was assumed the next step would be a 4-hour day on a living wage. Technology would advance to allow us to save time and have more leisure.
The coming kingdom of leisure used to be considered a mainly technological problem; it has turned out to be a political one.
The Vice article suggests that the key to winning shorter workdays may be to detach essentials from jobs. If people can purchase their health insurance, they may have an incentive to work part-time jobs or on short-term contracts.
A 4-hour workday is a real possibility. In many cases governments must get involved. This has worked in Switzerland and France. Where some municipalities have shortened days or work weeks.
And who do long work hours benefit?
It's probably the same people who prevent Silicon Valley's underlings from forming a union, who don't mind a single mother working two jobs, who expect you to check email at all hours, who say we need more growth rather than let the unemployed lighten whatever work already needs to be done. Those who believe these profiteers from on high, and who neglect to organize with their co-workers, are stealing the four-hour workday from themselves.
We may not believe we are stealing from ourselves or that the 4-hour work day could ever happen. Maybe the first step is believing it can work in the U.S because 'Why Not?"