Gone are the days of the intense manufacturing of the Industrial Revolution.
No more horrendous working conditions. No more 20-hour shifts. So, no hard work? I know that there are still underpaying jobs today. So much so that hustle-culture Twitter still pushes this idea of struggling through your minimum-wage job to make a better life for yourself.
But the anti-capitalists sing a different tune:
“Stop saying I should struggle! No one should struggle for a liveable wage! Universal Basic Income for all!”
This leads me to my main point:
Just because I want you to work hard doesn’t automatically mean I want you to struggle.
Let me explain.
I know we all hate Jeff Bezos, but what is complaining about his wealth every day going to accomplish?
I get the whole exploitation thing.
I hate Jeff too and every single other billionaire that’s made their wealth off the backs of low-paid workers. I’m with the whole Universal Basic Income thing. I don’t think anyone should break their back to make a liveable wage.
However…
Seeing the anti-capitalists roast Jeff Bezos every day on Twitter gets annoying sometimes. Like, say something we don’t know already. The more you complain about this man or any other billionaire, they’ve probably made hundreds of thousands of dollars in that same amount of time.
Now, I’m not claiming to know all the answers about what actions we can implement so these people redistribute their wealth. But complaining about it isn’t going to make them redistribute it any faster. Who wants to give their money to complainers anyway? Plus it doesn’t look like we’re going to get legislation about this issue any time soon.
So please, save your energy.
And worry about other pressing matters, such as…making your own money?
Why is hard work such as bad thing nowadays?
Again, I have my own gripes with hustle-culture Twitter.
But I don’t understand how telling someone to simply work hard meant that you want them to struggle. Working hard and struggling aren’t the same. That’s like telling someone to run every day to make it to the Olympics and they say “walking is better”.
I love hard work.
For example, I love to write. I enjoy the thrill of writing. It’s my passion that I’m willing to stick with forever. That means that I have to be content with any failures I have along the way of being a successful writer. It comes with any passion you’re trying to pursue.
There’s also something that comes with hard work that everyone seems to miss: The payoff.
Putting your blood, sweat, and tears into a project. Failing over and over again. Getting horrible comments saying how you’d never make it. Fighting through all of your doubts — and ending up on top — that’s the best feeling in the universe. It tops complaining about Jeff Bezos any time of the day.
Hard work isn’t a bad thing. On the contrary, a lot of people like working hard. Why? It’s that payoff baby.
The struggle makes the payoff even sweeter.
Finding your passion doesn’t take as long as you think.
As I always say, it’s the people who find their passion early that are always at an advantage.
Here’s a simple way I found my passion and how you can find yours as well:
- Create a list of hobbies/things you enjoy
- Try each one for 90 days to see how long you can stick with it
- Repeat for a couple of years and boom — you’ve got a passion on your hands
It may not seem that simple, but it’s really that simple. I believe everyone on Earth was born with a gift. It just takes a while for people to realize it.
So put that extra energy you have into finding your passion — something you’re willing to “struggle” at because you love to do it.
Final Thoughts
My views are kind of split with this.
I’m not saying all anti-capitalists complain about Jeff Bezos on Twitter all day, but I’m seeing more and more people do that because it’s a trend rather than saying something meaningful. But I also don’t believe in this hustle culture that forces everyone to struggle to make a basic wage.
Working hard and struggling aren’t the same thing though.
Some people like working hard at what they do. Some people like pursuing their passion. And some people damn sure love the payoff.
So what are you waiting for?
Get back to work.
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Previously Published on medium
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Photo credit: by Tiger Lily from Pexels
I think the problem is that you’re missing this point: that most people on snippety social media don’t say “work harder” as a motivational phrase, or with the understanding of greater economic disparity and difficulty. They say it primarily in a judgmental manner, from a place of sanctimonious success. They say it, willfully ignorant of the difficulties others face from racism, sexism, and general lack of resources available to them. They say it, willfully ignorant of the economic truth that money makes money, that pure capitalism must necessarily be countered with appropriate socialism in the interest of not just the… Read more »
It’s not that people don’t want to work hard. Many of us do. Human beings crave meaningful work that challenges us and allows us to achieve fulfillment and a fair wage. People should strive to work hard, and make some sacrifices to succeed (like work longer hours and spend less), and prepare to fail often on the way to success. I agree with those points. However, when the economic system gives us an uneven playing field, that’s the issue. What good is hard work and the hustle if you are hit with heavier taxes, or are paid less because of… Read more »