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Work: Self-Worth In Action
I have a personal belief that every person who is capable of working should. I also believe a narrow definition of work means many people who could do meaningful work aren’t given opportunity. I also believe that those who achieve great financial success through work owe it to society to freely give of their money for the betterment of that society.
In the United States in 2022, there are 159 million people active in the workforce. There are an additional 100 million who are of working age who do not actively participate in the workforce.
For the sake of argument, let’s assume that 50 million of those not active in the workforce can’t be due to some legitimate reason. That, of course, leaves 50 million who could be but aren’t.
If 209 million people were active in the workforce, the average number of hours required to work would drop by nearly 25%: from 40.5 hours per week to 30.8.
What would you do with an extra 10 hours of discretionary time each week?
I am not ignorant to the privilege I enjoy by being among those active in the workforce who actually gets to do what I want to do. I know there are millions of people who wake up every morning to go to jobs on the spectrum of tolerable to absolutely deplorable.
