Great article. I particularly liked how you expounded on this idea: “All of which is to say that the work-as-passion paradigm, the idea that work is life’s foremost endeavor, is hammered into all of us from all angles and at all times.” The Institute for Family Studies refers to this as “workism” and has found it to be associated with lower fertility: https://ifstudies.org/blog/gender-workism-and-fertility. I imagine it’s associated with other things too!
Well said. I would say, though, that this type of messaging varies from family to family. Some are certainly going to emphasize leaning into your passions. Others are going to emphasize making prudent, pragmatic choices to make a living and help support you family. This could be a class thing, or a family culture thing...
Yeah, definitely. I had a couple of friends whose parents were very focused on them becoming doctors, and their own career aspirations were not really a factor. I suspect this becomes more of a thing as you become wealthier and feel like there's less urgency to choose a lucrative career. Both the doctor friends who come to mind were children of first gen immigrants who struggled financially, at least earlier in their lives.
One thing I thought was interesting about the NYT piece was that people have actually studied the pervasiveness of the "follow your passion" advice. I wouldn't have guessed that'd even be a thing you could quantify.
Jim, the subjects you write about and your writing itself speaks to me pretty strongly in this transitional period of my life.
A recent conversation I had with my wife regarding these topics was thinking about the place a career and job has in your life. I am very much in your corner with the belief that family and relationships should be our passion - but my concern is the effect that the thing you do day in and day out for work effecting yourself and your relationship negatively if they career or job makes you angry, stresses you out too much, or leaves you resentful after each day.
Like anything there are extremes on both ends but I believe that finding something that provides, engages you in some meaningful way and also offers a good work life balance is the best. I’ve joked that if I had a job that allowed me to push a button daily and have everything I mentioned above - I would be happy, but the more I think about it - I don’t think this is the case. I believe the button pusher job could lead to a mind numbing experience that would result in withdrawal and distancing myself from my relationships due to the job being so maddening. It’s a balance I find myself thinking about often and have yet to figure out.
Jim, the movie that celebrates sacrificing career ambitions is probably hiding under your nose (or under the Xmas 🌲!): It’s A Wonderful Life.
Oh yeah, that is a fantastic example! Maybe when the holidays get closer I'll do a post on it.
Oh my! Very interesting and thought-provoking article. I have to think about it! Thank you.
Thanks!
Great article. I particularly liked how you expounded on this idea: “All of which is to say that the work-as-passion paradigm, the idea that work is life’s foremost endeavor, is hammered into all of us from all angles and at all times.” The Institute for Family Studies refers to this as “workism” and has found it to be associated with lower fertility: https://ifstudies.org/blog/gender-workism-and-fertility. I imagine it’s associated with other things too!
Thanks! And that IFS piece is great. Workism is such bummer to me, even as it seems to be the guiding work view of so many people I know.
Well said. I would say, though, that this type of messaging varies from family to family. Some are certainly going to emphasize leaning into your passions. Others are going to emphasize making prudent, pragmatic choices to make a living and help support you family. This could be a class thing, or a family culture thing...
Yeah, definitely. I had a couple of friends whose parents were very focused on them becoming doctors, and their own career aspirations were not really a factor. I suspect this becomes more of a thing as you become wealthier and feel like there's less urgency to choose a lucrative career. Both the doctor friends who come to mind were children of first gen immigrants who struggled financially, at least earlier in their lives.
One thing I thought was interesting about the NYT piece was that people have actually studied the pervasiveness of the "follow your passion" advice. I wouldn't have guessed that'd even be a thing you could quantify.
Jim, the subjects you write about and your writing itself speaks to me pretty strongly in this transitional period of my life.
A recent conversation I had with my wife regarding these topics was thinking about the place a career and job has in your life. I am very much in your corner with the belief that family and relationships should be our passion - but my concern is the effect that the thing you do day in and day out for work effecting yourself and your relationship negatively if they career or job makes you angry, stresses you out too much, or leaves you resentful after each day.
Like anything there are extremes on both ends but I believe that finding something that provides, engages you in some meaningful way and also offers a good work life balance is the best. I’ve joked that if I had a job that allowed me to push a button daily and have everything I mentioned above - I would be happy, but the more I think about it - I don’t think this is the case. I believe the button pusher job could lead to a mind numbing experience that would result in withdrawal and distancing myself from my relationships due to the job being so maddening. It’s a balance I find myself thinking about often and have yet to figure out.