I often daydream about how society would be if we were not forced by society to pigeon hole ourselves into a specialized career for maximizing the profits of capitalists, and sell most of our time for it.
The idea of creating an entire identity for you around your “career” and only specializing in one thing would be ridiculous in another universe. Humans have so much natural potential for breadth, but that is just not compatible with capitalism.
This is evident with how most people develop “hobbies” outside of work, like wood working, gardening, electronics, music, etc. This idea of separating “hobbies” and the thing we do most of our lives (work) is ridiculous.
Here’s how my world could be different if I owned my time and dedicated it to the benefit of my own and my community instead of capitalists:
- more reading, learning and excusing knowledge with others.
- learn more handy work, like plumbing and wood working. I love customizing my own home!
- more gardening
- participate in the transportation system (picking up shifts to drive a bus for example)
- become a tour guide for my city
- cook and bake for my neighbors
- academic research
- open source software (and non-software) contributions
- pick up shifts at a café and make coffee, tea and smoothies for people
- pick up shifts to clean up public spaces, such as parks or my own neighborhood
- participate in more than one “professions”. I studied one type of engineering but work in a completely different engineering. This already proves I can do both, so why not do both and others?
Humans do not like the same thing over and over every day. It’s unnatural. But somehow we revolve our whole livelihood around if.
Im fortunate. I love my career. I’ve been doing since I was 12 what I do for a living now at 39. I’d still do what I do if income were a non-issue.
With that being said, I’d probably only do it three days/week or so, being able to pick a more realistic balance between productivity and burnout would be great. I’d also spend that time making something I want, for me, rather than doing what I’m told. I feel like that’s significant here as well.
I too dream of this same future:
https://sturlabragason.github.io/blog/2023/07/04/Decentralized-Autonomous-Communities.html
Quoting this:
“In DACs, knowledge, creativity, and innovation are communal properties. Whether it’s a new AI algorithm, a more efficient building design, or a breakthrough software update, all are shared freely among the network of DACs. This community-wide open-source approach fuels rapid progress and the spread of beneficial developments.”
It’s not just about having free time. It’s about being in a society oriented to bettering the human condition instead of maximizing capital.
Is there a rule saying they can’t ask this question or are we all supposed to anticipate whatever grinds your gears before posting?
I would sleep a lot more, that’s for sure.
I like my job. It’s not a hobby, but it also ensures I don’t burn out in my hobbies, which happened when I initially tried to make a hobby my job.
Go hiking everyday
I think I would travel or wander a lot more. Not in an instagram backpacker kind of way, just in a dawdle from town to town road trippy kind of way.
I’ve wanted to RV across the US - spend 5-7 days in any given place - for so long.
Part of what creates in me so much faith in communism is my profession vs my interests.
I am an engineer. If I didn’t need to sell my labor I would be an engineer who solves problems and creates progress. Since I live in America, I don’t.
It’s not much better in most places outside of America. Capitalism rules the world.
I would offer people money to work for me.
And then i would help them optimize their brainspace to be more efficient at helping me.
I would allow them to use my workshop to create things that benefit the community. Like tools and Labor.
I would keep watch over the water and electrical lines and repair and service them if needed.
I would train people to do that for me and pay them.In a society oriented to our own interest and the interests of our community, no one would do work for you for money, especially since money would cease to exist.
The anthropology on the origins of money have shown that this is false. Money was introduced by force, and barter only occured in societies that previously had money then lost it (so, money-oriented societies). It is a myth that money creates itself. I’d love to refer you to resources if you’re interested on reading further (I have to dig them up from my notes).
There would not even be a need to create money. If your needs are already met, why would you still engage in exchanging already-abundant resources? Why would I give up my carrots to get your apples, when I can just go and pick some apples from the apple storage or a grocery store?
You really think an entire society revolved around bettering the human condition wouldn’t have guard rails against some random self destructive idiot going rogue?
In general though, no one has the motive to do that (except a self destructive idiot, who we’d just put in rehab and hope they get better).
Also you probably lack the means to take all the apples. The world already produces more than double the amount we consume. I guarantee you have no capacity to take them all.
I’m sorry, I know you thought that was really smart of you, but it’s not a good look.
my neighborhood has multiples of me. we are now a group.
Yeah sure. We cannot take all the apples out of cincinatti. But i can take all the apples from my town. Especially if i convice other people that are powerhungry like me. Narcisism and sociopathy exist, never forget that.
And on what grounds would you put me in rehab? Because i did what makes me feel good?
I take care of all the stuff nobody wants to do.
I clean the drains, i upkeep all the things you use for leisure.
People are lazy and would rather barter with me than to overthrow me. If they did, someone would have to wade through the shit all day.Kings and Queens did not have a real reason why they should be in power. They created their own reasons and used all their ressources to keep everyone down.
You surely have the Hollywood infested brain lmao
And on what grounds would you put me in rehab?
What about having terroristic aspirations? LOL. Trust me, no society will ever depend on you. You’ll always remain disposable
Hey, I would like the reasources you mentioned if it’s not too much hassle for you.
Below I linked an article that cites a couple of sources on this matter.
For a more in-depth reading, I’d highly recommend “Debt: The first 5000 years” by David Graeber. He has a ton of sources cited there too.
Article (12ft.io link to avoid paywall):
Thanks a lot, comrade!
Happy to help!! And great to meet you :)
Same thing I do now, but instead of full-time work / part-time student, I’d flip it to part-time work and full-time student.
I’m hanging on to the bottom step of the medical ladder - this field is fascinating as fuck, and even as just a tech I get a lot of satisfaction in my role (albeit minor relative to doctors or nurses) in helping others recover from whatever sickness/injury they present with.
Without the financial barriers and current need to work till exhaustion to afford rent, I’d be highly interested in going all the way to physician, but at the rate I’m able to actually afford the time and money to take classes, I’ll be pushing 40 when I’m able to clear the hurdle from tech to nurse; and it already hurts to move half of my fucking joints, so once this nursing shit is finished, I don’t see myself climbing any more ladders, literal or otherwise… at that point it’ll just be the counting the days till retirement or planning out the most pleasurable way to commit suicide.
Same. Almost completely the same except our jobs differ. Work is going to kill my goal to be more specialized in the medical sciences. It’s depressing. I’m hoping to at least land in the field of research.
I would do loads of degrees. History, English, Psychology, Politics, Spanish, etc. Having the brain space to focus on learning would be amazing. I did my masters part time while working full time and it was a nightmare. Glad I did it but I couldn’t do my best as I was bogged down in work stuff.
I would also like to learn more languages. I do a bit of Spanish and Danish when I can but I rarely have the mental energy after work.
Travel too. Maybe write a book.
Reading. I have lots of books I want to read but not enough time / energy to do so.
Imma be honest I have no idea. I might legit just sit here and be a leech on society playing video games and watching shows. But I’d like to imagine I would go back to school and try and do freelance repair/maintenance for various things. I just honestly don’t know if I’d do enough to consider it a fair contribution to society.
Jesus Christ this post sucks
I’m sorry that a harmless question on askLemmy bothers you so much :(
If only we had a voting system to express whether we thought a post meaningfully contributed or not!
spoiler
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