The Anti-Work Ethic Onscreen - How to Escape Your Job

Have you ever felt like you’re wasting your single, precious life, doing a job you hate? Right now, millions of US workers are quitting their jobs in the Great Resignation, after the Covid-19 pandemic sparked a mass re-evaluation of priorities. Onscreen, we've seen "anti-work" characters riot against unlivable working conditions, challenge irresponsible companies that care only only for profit, and call out parasitic consumer-culture. By revealing the evils of a system based on capital, these characters send the message that they won't give up their principles or identity for the workplace.

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[Chemist_Tea]

I don't even hate my job. It's a perfectly fine job, and everyone at the office is pretty nice. It's just that working at a computer for 8 hours every day leaves me so mentally exhausted that I'm barely able to do anything after work, and I hate that

[plebweeb]

The ''you have to have money in order not to worry about money'' struck a cord with me. My boyfriend often boasts about ''mental health over money'', which I feel is easy for him to say. He has a cushy life as his parents are well off; the guy has never had to worry about money. So I find it rich for him to tell others not to worry about making a lot of money, even though one of those people (me) has to worry about money every day.

[francishollingshead]

"Don't confuse your living with what you do to survive"
-Jackson Browne, Running on Empty, 1977

[RedCaio]

I hate the trope of 'over worked person finally quits their soul-crushing job and is now free to pursue their dreams and passions' because in reality they'd just starve and die.

[JessicaMiller-pcdj]

The absolute worst aspect of this, is that I still have to bullshit my way through interviews and pretend that I want to actually do this stuff.

[mirithilrose]

This also made me think about job applications and how they encourage you to sell an idealized version of yourself, or downright lie. When all you really need is money to live.

[paulapierrot]

I had the weirdest conversations with my colleagues after reducing my weekly hours from 40 to 30.
"Why don't you work full-time anymore?"
"Because I don't want to."
"But what's the reason?"
"I want more time for myself."
"Does this mean you're working two jobs?"
"No... I just want time for myself."
"Are you working on a freelance project?"
"No, not at all."
"Are you writing a book?"
"No."
"Are you planning to start a family?"
"No, I just want more free time."
👀
👀
"But what's the REASON?"
Protestant work culture in a nutshell.

[tybooskie]

I don't hate my job; I hate the pay and weird hours. I really don't want a high power complicated job to be able to survive. I want a livable wage. Food, shelter, transportation, free time to enjoy life outside of work.

[johnstebbins]

Bullshit Job is an actual academic category.
I feel hugged by this.

[ankhera]

I've always said that politicians should be paid the same as the average wage, adjusted to remove the top 1%. That would sure help them find ways to increase that wage.

[rikkiluv]

I worked retail for years. I worked my way up from $8 an hour to $10. Then I had a nervous breakdown from being overworked and under paid so I quit. That same job I left is now paying $15 an hour STARTING. They always had the money to pay us that much. But the exodus of workers forced them to bump the pay to get people to come back. No thanks. I’m still not going back.

[kp]

Honestly, my mental health improved so much with my remote job. I have time for me while working from home. It’s a better balance that in-person jobs I’ve had.

[mameymini]

What I hate is the mental torture of "you should be thankful you have a job." I'm thankful I have the opportunity to earn a good salary so I have food and shelter, but somehow I'm still miserable and hate my job.

[D_isco_D_ancer]

" I will work all night if nothing gets done" LOL What a fantastic line of dialogue.

[Grace-mbtb]

The current average work hrs just don’t suit society’s needs anymore. Labour unions fought for working 6-7 days a week to 5, with 8 hrs on and 8 hrs off. However people lived very close to their work and was often labour intensive. These days it takes people including myself one hour to get to work and one hr back. I hope to see the 4 day work week in this lifetime, many things are automated and people deserve the time off

[Sochilinda]

This hits hard! I just quit my job yesterday, I feel my soul is so empty, I’ve been working in a job that doesn’t bring me much joy, that doesn’t pay well and that I have to achieve a level of productivity that doesn’t allow me to enjoy anything in my free time. I’ve been depressed for a while but afraid of leaving because I need the money. But the decision is taken, I need my soul and my joy back 🥺💖

[catherineb.]

This is funny to me as someone who has only ever worked blue collar jobs and wants to get a desk job. Work is a means to an end in my opinion. I don't want fancy cars and clothes and a big house, I just want to have to enjoy my time on the planet as best as possible. Working til midnight almost every night is just getting way too tiring

[justineharper]

I live in a super poor, conservative area, and I’m starting to get really agitated by the people complaining about people choosing to not go back to work because they make more from unemployment. If you make more money from unemployment than busting your butt at a full time job, then maybe, just maybe we should start paying people a little more. We’re the richest country in the world. You would think they could figure out how to share the wealth with the working class

[mbanerjee]

We need to end 40 hour work week. No one should have to work more than 30 hours to afford basic needs.

[TheLeah]

I use to be the one who was dedicated to my job and would even overwork myself just to be treated like garbage and watched everyone else get a raise for doing nothing. I learned my lesson after I ended up in the hospital from chest pains due to stress and was fired from old job. Now I don’t care about a job. I started a business and once I make it in my business I’m quitting my job.