The idea that struck me most in this episode was 'harder can be better'. There used to be an idea around decades (if not more) ago that nothing useful was achieved unless you worked hard to make it happen. It was, I suppose, crystallised in what was called the work ethic. In retail, for example, Asian immigrants were known for their long hours and perseverance in building up custom and during the building crisis in 80's and 90's East European tradespeople flooded in to fill the gaps, demonstrating a high level of skill, application and reliability that put some of the complacent British builders to shame.
With so many in office based jobs or in menial work the work ethic almost gets turned on its head. Working harder makes things no better and sometimes worse. There is a never ending mountain of work which can never be finished so working harder just wears you out, there will still be the thing you didn't do that you will be criticised over and you rarely get paid more for the extra work done.
Since the middle of the C20th everything has speeded up. We all work harder just to stand still. Every kind of appliance and gadget has been touted as the answer to freeing up your time and giving you that extra bit of leisure time. It's all bollocks. It just means you can fit some more fruitless work in as you try to justify your existence to a largely indifferent employment market. But we still churn away on our hamster wheel expecting somehow that the sun will rise or perhaps just carrying on because we know no other way.
The antithesis to this is that, as Sarah explained, harder can be better. The difference is that you are not a work slave but you do it because you want to achieve something. What you achieve can be so much more than just the initial objective. Connection, fun, purpose. When did you get that from your job?
I just followed interesting take on game industry. How company side people argue you are "enslaving", making people suffer if you dont buy expensive games(recently they've put prices higher). Bottom line was consumer, gamer buys piece of game budget, not good content. Thus those game projects are run like government projects or terms, quite fixed budget, then squeeze max out of staff and profit. Sounds familiar right?
As expected years and years of this model has made quality low. In corporate side they call this bean counter, ie all fun and creativity and leeway is sucked out, so people gradually leave and only financial/accounting people are left in company. Common story how very succesful big companies can suddenly collapse. As one can guess, this only benefits higher levels in company, not those doing work, not consumers,customers.
But they have skillful propaganda like that, also called marketing or PR communication, to steer away from these core issues.
I work in office job so Im familiar with that logic, no overtime, no bonuses (to think of) so working hard is no incentive, despite inner "voice" can say otherwise. But result is always need to do more and previous achievement is new expectation. But human body and psyche needs recovery.
How this hollows out life is that worklife is harder, ie pressures (social) is to do better, faster, more. But other aspects of life cannot compete. It is often not "harder" in work, just consumes more time(out of limited daily,weekly,monthly, yearly "budget"), and thus energy and mental capacity, which is away from everything else.
I doubt people can steer themselves for 'harder' if there isnt strong motivation and motivation also needs time to build up, then with that can push beyond your previous level.
No matter how fancy my coffee maker or smartphone is, it still cant get beans from shop, grind them, put them in machine and check all error states (eg electric cut). Also automatic emails are now old thing and with so much coming, get adapted fast to "filter" mentally AI made or otherwise not human made input, so I dont have high confidence in AI helping in this. Diary of CEO episode talked of this same, they notice that "plasticy" feel of too perfect messages and how it instantly 10x or 100x amount of emails and messages making it irrelevant.
Bottom line is, machine cant signal intent. We often counter face to face or in discussion probing this, to check how big priority it is.
I cant work out that oldschool "boomer" hard work as Ive lost count how many times that is abused (work hard something menial, to build relationship, so that person will hire to mow lawn and later something bigger etc) as even small business owners and startups, most of silicon valley brag how they made billions$ crowdsourcing or whatever is latest fad and model.
So there is some payoff, but if intent is malicious/selfish/superficial, it is better to not take that opportunity for hard work.
Praxis is the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, embodied, realized, applied, or put into practice. Act=>learn=>Act=>reflect=>Act=>reflex, like a rolling stone.
A great listen and makes sense, rings bells, inspires. I’ll buy the book, thanks Rachel!
The idea that struck me most in this episode was 'harder can be better'. There used to be an idea around decades (if not more) ago that nothing useful was achieved unless you worked hard to make it happen. It was, I suppose, crystallised in what was called the work ethic. In retail, for example, Asian immigrants were known for their long hours and perseverance in building up custom and during the building crisis in 80's and 90's East European tradespeople flooded in to fill the gaps, demonstrating a high level of skill, application and reliability that put some of the complacent British builders to shame.
With so many in office based jobs or in menial work the work ethic almost gets turned on its head. Working harder makes things no better and sometimes worse. There is a never ending mountain of work which can never be finished so working harder just wears you out, there will still be the thing you didn't do that you will be criticised over and you rarely get paid more for the extra work done.
Since the middle of the C20th everything has speeded up. We all work harder just to stand still. Every kind of appliance and gadget has been touted as the answer to freeing up your time and giving you that extra bit of leisure time. It's all bollocks. It just means you can fit some more fruitless work in as you try to justify your existence to a largely indifferent employment market. But we still churn away on our hamster wheel expecting somehow that the sun will rise or perhaps just carrying on because we know no other way.
The antithesis to this is that, as Sarah explained, harder can be better. The difference is that you are not a work slave but you do it because you want to achieve something. What you achieve can be so much more than just the initial objective. Connection, fun, purpose. When did you get that from your job?
I just followed interesting take on game industry. How company side people argue you are "enslaving", making people suffer if you dont buy expensive games(recently they've put prices higher). Bottom line was consumer, gamer buys piece of game budget, not good content. Thus those game projects are run like government projects or terms, quite fixed budget, then squeeze max out of staff and profit. Sounds familiar right?
As expected years and years of this model has made quality low. In corporate side they call this bean counter, ie all fun and creativity and leeway is sucked out, so people gradually leave and only financial/accounting people are left in company. Common story how very succesful big companies can suddenly collapse. As one can guess, this only benefits higher levels in company, not those doing work, not consumers,customers.
But they have skillful propaganda like that, also called marketing or PR communication, to steer away from these core issues.
I work in office job so Im familiar with that logic, no overtime, no bonuses (to think of) so working hard is no incentive, despite inner "voice" can say otherwise. But result is always need to do more and previous achievement is new expectation. But human body and psyche needs recovery.
How this hollows out life is that worklife is harder, ie pressures (social) is to do better, faster, more. But other aspects of life cannot compete. It is often not "harder" in work, just consumes more time(out of limited daily,weekly,monthly, yearly "budget"), and thus energy and mental capacity, which is away from everything else.
I doubt people can steer themselves for 'harder' if there isnt strong motivation and motivation also needs time to build up, then with that can push beyond your previous level.
No matter how fancy my coffee maker or smartphone is, it still cant get beans from shop, grind them, put them in machine and check all error states (eg electric cut). Also automatic emails are now old thing and with so much coming, get adapted fast to "filter" mentally AI made or otherwise not human made input, so I dont have high confidence in AI helping in this. Diary of CEO episode talked of this same, they notice that "plasticy" feel of too perfect messages and how it instantly 10x or 100x amount of emails and messages making it irrelevant.
Bottom line is, machine cant signal intent. We often counter face to face or in discussion probing this, to check how big priority it is.
I cant work out that oldschool "boomer" hard work as Ive lost count how many times that is abused (work hard something menial, to build relationship, so that person will hire to mow lawn and later something bigger etc) as even small business owners and startups, most of silicon valley brag how they made billions$ crowdsourcing or whatever is latest fad and model.
So there is some payoff, but if intent is malicious/selfish/superficial, it is better to not take that opportunity for hard work.
Praxis is the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, embodied, realized, applied, or put into practice. Act=>learn=>Act=>reflect=>Act=>reflex, like a rolling stone.
"...You are marvelous Sarah" pretty much sums it up.
Such an enjoyable conversation, Sarah again brings such incredibly possible and positive observations in a way that is novel to me, I just love it.
Platform Dave Gardner from GrowthBusters
Debate in 1964 changed my mind about the Vietnam War.