“What are you reading? Anti-work movement? What’s that?” Felix peeked into Scorch’s phone.
“The anti-work movement questions the purpose of work. It tells people how most of today’s jobs aren’t needed. Jobs just bring in wage slavery, where people are dependent only on the money from their work. It also brings problems such as low wages to workers.
There has been a recent rise in the anti-work movement,” Scorch answered.
“What is causing the rise?” Orak said.
“Interestingly, this movement isn’t new. But it has gained attention due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, employees were tired. They experienced burnout, a form of exhaustion. They were going through mental health problems as well. They had low wages. They didn’t get paid sick leave. Paid sick leave means on days you are not working, your day’s salary is not deducted. But they still worked! Some worked from home, while others had to go out and risk their lives.
Some employees left their jobs and looked for better options. But there are a few who wondered – what is the purpose of work?” Scorch said.
“This is the discussion on Reddit, a social media platform. On the platform, they created a subcategory for the discussion known as the r/antiwork subreddit. The subreddit has 1.7 million subscribers and they are steadily growing,” Scorch added.
“Wait, does that mean they don’t want to work at all?” Felix said.
“No, supporters believe that people who decide how much they want to work. They should only work as much as needed. They shouldn’t work longer hours just to create more goods,” Scorch said.
“What all do they discuss on Reddit?” Verum said.
“They talk about famous philosophers and their opinions on the anti-work movement. They also share links to books, essays, podcasts related to the anti-work movement.
These days, the focus of the anti-work movement has expanded. Users share their experience with strikes and unions. They advise other employees on how to ask for better wages.
“Sounds like a helpful community!” Felix said.