Work / Society
How Our Miserable Working World Drives Hustle Culture
We need to make a change and not start a side hustle
At 18, my best friend and I didn’t know much.
Having a lot of money someday was our only goal. At that time, we were still in school and hated it.
After having classes, we met to hustle. Until the evening, we looked at a laptop, looking for ways to earn a lot of money.
We behaved quite unusual for being teenagers. It went on for months, and instead of doing “normal” things, we worked obsessively.
Although we didn’t earn a single cent in retrospect, it was perhaps the best time of my life. The reason is simple.
We didn’t have much and weren’t much, but there was a tremendous amount of potential. It just felt so good to make progress, to get closer to our dreams.
Surprisingly, I never felt better psychologically. Instead of having a sense of futility, as in the years before, I felt like I was on a great path. Every day felt like progress in the right direction.
The trend towards hustle culture is becoming stronger.
Many people now have a side hustle, are constantly educating themselves, and want to realize their potential.
But what’s driving it? Is it about being able to wear a Rolex? Is it about expensive vacations?
I claim that the sad reason behind it is our modern working world. Here’s how it fuels hustle culture.
The century of hating what you are doing
I know almost no one who loves their work.
The reason is certainly not that their work is exhausting. Something else is the problem of modern work.
Humans are surprisingly good at doing exhausting things and still not going crazy. People go to the gym twice a week to move tons of weight — and the worst thing is that they do it voluntarily.
The reason they do it is that it means something to them. Building muscle, being healthier, looking good are all meaningful goals that require sacrifice.
Our working world is different. When I ask someone what the company they work for does, I prepare for a long answer. If you then ask what their task in the company is, it gets even worse.
“I manage the schedules of salespeople who sell engine components to Chinese manufacturers in our company.” — our working world is terribly abstract. It breaks people down.
Employees do not see what their work really does. They don’t know if their work makes sense economically. They also don’t know whether their work is meaningful for society.
This is a catastrophe. And this might be what fuels hustle culture.
Why hustle culture is a toxic medicine for this problem
When you come home after work, you have two options.
- Do something that will not change your work situation.
- Do something that could change your work situation.
The first is what most people choose. They come home, exercise, watch Netflix and spend time with their family. That’s good and important, but it won’t change their work-life — which is where hustle culture comes in.
The other option is to come home and work on a side hustle — always hoping to finally break out of the rat race and their 9–5.
Working on something in addition to your job can be very good for you psychologically. It can create meaning and give hope. However, the dark truth is that it is much more strenuous in the long run, and many people collapse under this burden.
Even for those who are not an active part of the hustle culture, it can be fatal. Today, there is a high awareness of our own terrible situation. Ironically, it’s the feeling that things could be better that makes us sad.
All feelings originally arise from a comparison.
However, non-stop grinding and hustling cannot be the answer. The real reason lies in our working world.
No one should have to start a side-hustle because their 9–5 feels pointless.
We need to change the world of work so that this madness comes to an end. Here are a few suggestions of what we could change.
Cut working hours
I hate going grocery shopping. I don’t enjoy it; it’s not fulfilling me.
It’s just something that has to be done. Nevertheless, I have never heard of anyone becoming mentally ill because of it.
The reason is simple: I go grocery shopping for a total of 1 hour per week. That’s a tolerable amount of time that I have to invest.
Back to the world of work.
Most people spend a double-digit amount of years of their lives working. Of course, you’re much more likely to go crazy.
There are indications that the 8-hour workday is actually not a good idea. It stresses us out, it’s too exhausting, and we’re really productive for maybe 2 or 3 hours¹.
Reducing working hours while keeping salaries the same could be the next big revolution in work. People would have more time for themselves, their families and more time to reflect.
Even if the work is still not fun or seen as meaningless, the sacrifice is much smaller, saving many people from a mental crisis.
Rethinking how we work
Ask someone why they work what they do. Often the answers are shocking.
Many people have small tasks in a huge company. They feel interchangeable, have the feeling that their work is meaningless and has no effect.
To change this, our working world must become less rigid. Employees should have more personal responsibility, variety, and meaning in their jobs.
Only do what is really important.
The term “economy” has very negative connotations. We think of cold bosses, companies that destroy the environment, and greed.
At least to some extent, that’s the reality. I know someone who works at Volkswagen. After the gigantic emissions scandal, she was humiliated & depressed to work at this company.
Totally understandable — one’s work is no longer seen as contributing to society but damaging it.
Maybe one day, we will get to the point where we change the economy and do much more of what is really good. Above all, a rethinking of consumer behavior is the first essential step.
Sources
[1]: https://www.vouchercloud.com/resources/office-worker-productivity
