Work Ethics, Then and Now
Mon, Mar 02
Throughout history, work and virtue have been closely tied together in culture. But cultural values in this arena are rarely disinterested and objective. Today we'll ask how virtues we associate with work (and with hard work in particular) reflect broader social and economic dynamics, and whether an awareness of these cultural influences can empower us in our search for our own definition of good, meaningful, virtuous work.
Goals - by the end of today's class, you will:
- Understand what Weber means by the "Protestant Work Ethic," and how he connects this up with the broader social, cultural, and economic context of his time.
- Be able to explain the basic relationship between cultural values and the meaning of work, and how a critical view of these can help us define our own values in relation to good, meaningful work.
- Define for yourself the genuine value of (and virtues associated with) hard work.
Read This:
(Access readings on Perusall)
Primary Reading: Weber, "The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" (Chapter 5).
Secondary Reading (Optional): Surowiecki - "The Cult of Overwork" (New Yorker)
Do This:
After completing the readings for today, consider the following questions (which we will talk about in class):
- What virtues or values related to hard work does Weber think are explained by the "Protestant Work Ethic"?
- What are our own cultural values or virtues with respect to hard work? To what extent do these come from religion? What other ideological, social, or cultural sources might influence these?