Self-growth
Business & Career
Success
Communication
Healing
Relationships
Psychology
HappinessYou’ll learn
- About the labor-of-love myth
- Childhood influence on work dedication
- The value of domestic workers, teachers, and retail staff
- How social stereotypes influence our work perception
Table of contents
first KEY POINT
The labor-of-love myth as a weapon
The question of whether or not work should be enjoyable has been around since the 1800s. In the feudal system, where peasants received land as payment for work done, the rich lived off their wealth and had many lower-class workers. The “Fordist Compromise,” named after Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company, was created to keep the lower-class and industry workers at work. It involved paying workers so they could work more hours. This system persisted after the Great Depression ended and throughout the 1960s. There was a slight change in the 1970s and 1980s: the ownership class began to work and derive joy in long hours. It also became obvious that the lower class believed that work was something to love so that they could work for longer hours. The Fordist Compromise led to many strikes and crises. Companies closed factories and found new ways to pay workers less.This summary traces the “labor-of-love myth” — the belief that you should love your job and work even more. It explains why this myth is a means of exploitation and how society has propagated it for so long. Jaffe delves deeper into many professions and how workers revolted against the idea that they must love their work.
Different factors, such as technology and culture, have evolved and made changes in the workplace possible.
The working class is now a more diverse group of different genders and races. By realizing that love is a two-way street, we can dispel the idea that work done out of passion is more valuable than work done for pay. Work cannot love you back, but people can. Continue to explore and gain insight into how to stop your employer from exploiting you and break free of myths surrounding work.
second KEY POINT
How children form ideas and beliefs
Girls are expected to show more love than boys from an early age. As they grow, they are taught to care about the needs of others and look good. As an institution built on uncompensated caregiving, the family reinforces these traditional gender norms.The labor-of-love myth begins at home. The general public assumes that women are more suited to domestic tasks like cooking, childrearing, and problem-solving because of their biological makeup. These tasks are not seen as skills but as natural gifts. This stereotype follows women from the house to the workplace, contributing to their undervaluation and low wages. There is no more influential social, political, or economic institution than the family. It developed alongside capitalism and the state.
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first KEY POINT
Domestic workers deserve fairness
second KEY POINT
Teachers need to get the recognition they deserve
third KEY POINT
The retail workers’ rights and the courtesy they deserve
fourth KEY POINT
The undervaluation of nonprofit workers, artists, and interns
fifth KEY POINT
Breaking the labor-of-love myth for an equitable future
sixth KEY POINT
Conclusion
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Frequently asked questions
What is 'Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone' about?
'Work Won’t Love You Back' by Sarah Jaffe explores how our emotional investment in work can lead to exploitation and burnout. The book critiques the cultural narrative that frames devotion to job as noble, instead highlighting the toll it takes on our well-being.
Who is the author of 'Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone'?
The author of 'Work Won’t Love You Back' is Sarah Jaffe, a noted journalist and author known for her analysis of labor and its implications in modern society.
Is 'Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone' worth reading?
Yes, 'Work Won’t Love You Back' is worth reading for anyone interested in labor issues and the realities of the modern workplace. Jaffe provides important insights into how our devotion to work can undermine our personal lives and mental health.
How many pages is 'Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone' and when was it published?
'Work Won’t Love You Back' spans approximately 288 pages and was published in March 2021. This engaging read delves into the emotional and social consequences of our work-centric culture.
What are the key takeaways from 'Work Won’t Love You Back: How Devotion to Our Jobs Keeps Us Exploited, Exhausted, and Alone'?
Key takeaways include the idea that work should not be equated with personal worth and the importance of setting boundaries. Jaffe underscores the need for workers to recognize the exploitative dynamics at play in many jobs and advocates for a reevaluation of our devotion to work.