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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
This should be mandatory for every HR department. But every modern worker should read this. It's the book I'll give to every graduate.
Just not geared towards me which I realized too late
2 - 2.5 stars
The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work is a well-written book, however, for me, this was an "ok" read.
My suspicions were correct...this book was not written for me, an utter non-workist. I left a "good" and "prestigious" job in NYC and ended up working at a Kinko's in Philadelphia, laying out resumes and fliers.
Did people judge me? Probably.
Did customers dismiss me as an idiot clerk? Absolutely.
Did I give one single f*#k? Not one.
I clocked in, did my work, chatted with coworkers and customers, and I clocked out. I loved it!
And while I have spent my entire adult life chasing the illusion of work that matters, work that means something more than a paycheck (but that still pays well) and access to more affordable and better quality health insurance, having a nearly zero-pressure job always trumped a more "prestigious" job that always brought pressure, expectations, and development goals.
While Stolzolff mentions the "meaningful" job, the people he interviewed still entwine themselves with their meaningful job. More stories focus on those who either walked away from or had their dream/prestigious/enviable job yanked away and then struggled with feeling lost, not contributing to society, etc.
For me, this is another book that feels a bit like spitting into an ocean. How do we stop the workist madness at the root? How do we strip away the Calvinist ideals that have meshed with Capitalist greed? Reprogramming a few thousand people to revise their relationship to work does not unseat the larger cultural programming and pressure.
The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work is a well-written book, however, for me, this was an "ok" read.
My suspicions were correct...this book was not written for me, an utter non-workist. I left a "good" and "prestigious" job in NYC and ended up working at a Kinko's in Philadelphia, laying out resumes and fliers.
Did people judge me? Probably.
Did customers dismiss me as an idiot clerk? Absolutely.
Did I give one single f*#k? Not one.
I clocked in, did my work, chatted with coworkers and customers, and I clocked out. I loved it!
And while I have spent my entire adult life chasing the illusion of work that matters, work that means something more than a paycheck (but that still pays well) and access to more affordable and better quality health insurance, having a nearly zero-pressure job always trumped a more "prestigious" job that always brought pressure, expectations, and development goals.
While Stolzolff mentions the "meaningful" job, the people he interviewed still entwine themselves with their meaningful job. More stories focus on those who either walked away from or had their dream/prestigious/enviable job yanked away and then struggled with feeling lost, not contributing to society, etc.
For me, this is another book that feels a bit like spitting into an ocean. How do we stop the workist madness at the root? How do we strip away the Calvinist ideals that have meshed with Capitalist greed? Reprogramming a few thousand people to revise their relationship to work does not unseat the larger cultural programming and pressure.
“You have to create value outside of work to protect yourself”. “If you don’t know your own value, companies will impose it upon you”
I found this to be a great read and I’m glad it is out here for all those just starting in their careers. I have become increasingly frustrated with the American system and how we have changed the meaning of the American dream. I think now, more than ever, we need a hip check regarding what is enough and what borders on obscene. The bifurcation in today’s society has become shocking and corporates have the power to change the dynamic. While the pandemic had a very dark side with the loss of life, it also had the opportunity to create change. Employees want the change and management is afraid of the change. Hopefully employees will continue to fight for change. I’ll be giving this book to many as a gift!
I found this to be a great read and I’m glad it is out here for all those just starting in their careers. I have become increasingly frustrated with the American system and how we have changed the meaning of the American dream. I think now, more than ever, we need a hip check regarding what is enough and what borders on obscene. The bifurcation in today’s society has become shocking and corporates have the power to change the dynamic. While the pandemic had a very dark side with the loss of life, it also had the opportunity to create change. Employees want the change and management is afraid of the change. Hopefully employees will continue to fight for change. I’ll be giving this book to many as a gift!
I enjoyed this book and thinking about how to reframe American society to be less work-centric but I think I was hoping for more practical solutions although in hindsight that was probably a tall order. Definitely worth the read.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
inspiring
relaxing
An excellent book to read for deconstructing the need to constantly be productive in your life and what to do about that.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I really enjoyed it, but it’s not for everyone. Most of it is written for people in a place of privilege - each chapter profile/story - but the last chapter has some good content.