Something I was thinking about in the car today, shuffling through songs that glorify The Hustle, talk about how money is all that matters…It got me wondering if there’s too much media that tells us that working ourselves to death is the only way to live.
Yes, I am of course aware that there’s plenty of media about living a life of leisure, rebelling against the grind, and so on. I’m am of course also aware that a solid work ethic is a generally positive trait.
So the question I guess comes down to balance. What do you see as the prevailing message in the media you see/hear/read? Is it, “Work as hard and amass as much money as you possibly can and nothing else matters?” Or do you see something different/better?
Capitalist propaganda. Capitalists pay to make that media, so it’s their culture that gets represented.
Work will set you free silly goose… fun is for children
Gates over Auschwitz:
Arbeit macht frei, dumme Gans.
Oh snap you got me… ughhhh
Yes. And people just eat it up. I get it. I got caught up in the “hustle and grind” of life. I tried multiple income sources and I was proudly working 80 hours/week while missing my children grow up. But a life altering event caused me to pause and reassess my life. I started working less and spending more time with my family. I worked on myself from being low tempered to be more “go with the flow”
It’s a peculiar thing
Very American
I want to work as little as I possibly can. I have plenty to do with my life and making money for someone else isn’t important to me
Not really anymore. I think it was definitely the dominant messaging in the 2010s when people were fighting to be rewarded for their hustle (e.g., lean-in feminism, LGBTQ consumerism, Asian Americans as tech entrepreneurs, rise of the [insert minority here] owned business labeling, etc.), but I find the pendulum has been swinging back the other way towards nihilist external-locus-of-control counterculture. I think we are slowly realizing as a society that we can’t, in fact, work our asses out of systemic oppression by the elites.
There’s an interesting video on this topic: “Hollywood’s obsession with ambition”
You might find it interesting, also gives examples of the opposite portrayed in media.
Whats funny is I used to be more motivated to be that way but its because my motivation is more intrinsict and I worked in research and such. Its hard to feel excited to contribute if society is not moving net positive for people in general.
Who the hell is writing songs glorifying working too much?
“Popular media” shouldn’t determine how you want to live.
However, you should objectively look at what it would take to achieve your goals. And reassess at regular intervals.
To be honest I only interpret that kind of messaging as “buy my course!” shilling. nobody in real life believes that, so I just disregard it as if I was reading an ad. barely notice it.
Isn’t this typically said by gangster rappers, anyway? Lots of them have fake personas, and if it’s real their hustle is often crime - not exactly something to aspire to, and there’s already tons of discussion about the questionable messages of gangsters rap.
But also, I’d definitely be more motivated to work my ass off if I was living my dream, like most music artists are doing - not necessarily for money, but for being able to continue to live my dream, and make the most of however much time I have as a professional artist.
Prevailing message in media … well … most of the music I listen to doesn’t have vocals … I do consume a lot of fantasy content (books, games, TV shows/movies), where “get rich or die trying” is definitely a thing, though a lot of it also has more lofty motivations such as saving the world (which at least in games usually needs material wealth to accomplish), or the protagonist is just fighting for their life.
I work my ass off. More than anyone would think is reasonable. Thing is I’m not sure what else to do with myself anyway.
But also I’m sitting at a resort with the love of my life in the Dominican Republic soaking my balls in a pleasantly cool pool and smoking a cigar. Which I can do because I work my ass off. I wouldn’t tell anyone they should follow my example because I’m probably going to work myself into an early heart attack and there are plenty of less expensive ways to enjoy yourself on a week off. And my back is so bad from sitting at a desk all day that I can barely walk most mornings.
But right at this moment I feel like I’m living my best life. And swimming in the ocean every day has improved my back so much in a week. I need to get a house on the ocean some day.
Idk if this sounds like humble bragging I don’t mean it that way. I really have nothing to do with my time but work. I don’t have any friends other than family and whomever happens to sit nearby for a few minutes. I really don’t recommend it if you’re not driven to be this way.
