The Limits of Achievement
Mon, Feb 26
Today we'll consider the role of achievement or accomplishment in making work meaningful and worthwhile. While most would agree that these lend work meaning and purpose, the assumption that achievements are the ultimate aim of our work, or that they will automatically make it meaningful, is thought to precipitate crises of meaning, overwork, or other negative work outcomes. Today we'll consider a first-hand account of such a crisis, and reflect on what, if anything, we can learn about the way we value achievementin in the context of finding and doing good work.
Goals - by the end of today's class, you will:
- See the relationship Setiya sketches between achievement, accomplishment, and crises of meaning in the context of his own work; and
- Understand Setiya's distinction between different types of value (e.g., "final," "ameliorative," "existential") and the role these can play in helping one navigate a crisis of meaning.
Read This:
(Access readings on Perusall)
Primary Reading: Setiya, Midlife, Ch. 2
Secondary Reading (Optional): Thompson, "Workism is Making Americans Miserable" (The Atlantic)
Do This:
After completing the readings for today, consider the following questions (which we will talk about in class):
- Have you ever experienced a crisis of meaning in the context of your work? What resources or concepts did you draw on? And how would you handle such a crisis if you faced on in the course of your career?
- What can we learn from crises of meaning about what makes work worthwhile? Is there anything in Setiya's description of his or Mill's crises (or of his description of either of their recoveries) that provides insight into the value of work?