'You have to work.' 'People who don't work are no good.' This way of thinking is no longer a social norm, It seems to have become a kind of belief.
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In Japan, work is considered "obligatory" in the Constitution. In other countries, work is also regarded as a good thing in some cultures due to religious backgrounds. For example, in Protestant ethics, hard work is regarded as a virtue, This supported modern capitalism. But to continue with the same thinking in the 21st century? I think it is no longer in line with reality.
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Over the past 30 years, labour productivity has increased dramatically. With advances in IT and communications technology, What used to be possible only by telephone or fax, Now it can be done on a computer or smartphone, and for free. With the advent of AI, this efficiency has further increased several-fold.
In other words, people today are achieving more than they did 20 or 30 years ago. They are achieving results many times faster.
Yet society continues to tell us to be more productive. The state, companies and top management all say so.
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But how much meaning does this "increase in productivity" have for workers? How much does it mean to the workers?
Suppose, for example, that out of an eight-hour working day, the work is completed in four hours using AI. Would the remaining four hours be free? It does not.
They just add new jobs. In the end, the number of hours worked does not decrease, The workload on people remains the same. Instead, they will be asked to do more, faster.
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In the 18th century, economists predicted that in the future people would work one-third less hours. But the reality was the opposite. Increasing productivity did not reduce working hours. Happiness did not increase either.
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So I think. "It's an illusion that you have to work.
Even if you only work two hours out of an eight-hour day, If you are producing many times more than people used to, That's 'industrious' enough. You can be proud of it.
'Laziness' is not evil. It is a necessary rest and recovery time for people in this day and age.
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I have had mental breakdowns from working too hard. So I want to say.
It is not laziness to question working itself. It's the first step in getting yourself back on track.