Work is The Hobby We Can't Quit

Note: The following thoughts are based on observations and experiences of a Japanese person living in Japan.

Hey there, fellow wage warriors! Let's chat about our favorite pastime: working ourselves to the bone.

Remember when Bertrand Russell praised idleness? Well, he'd probably have a heart attack if he saw us now, plugging away 40 hours a week like it's going out of style. Spoiler alert: it should be!

Now, why are we all so gung-ho about this 9-to-5 grind? It's simple: we're caught in what Jean Baudrillard called the "consumer society." We're not just buying stuff; we're buying into ideas. It's like we're all starring in a really long, really boring commercial.

Let's play a game called "Do You Really Need That?"

• Your 15-year-old fridge: Still cold? Still keeping your leftovers from growing legs? Then it's doing its job!

• Your "dumb" air conditioner: Did people melt into puddles before ACs could tweet? Nope, they just sweated it out like the rest of us.

• iPhone 8 vs. iPhone 15: Unless the new one can time travel or make you breakfast, is it really worth the upgrade?

See, in our consumption-crazed world, we're not just buying products; we're buying symbols. Baudrillard would say we're trading in "signs." Like the idea that expensive clothes make you cool. Coolness doesn't come with a price tag.

So why do we keep this crazy carousel spinning? Because we're all trying to fill a void with stuff we don't need, bought with money we don't have, to impress people we don't like. It's like digging a hole just to fill it up again. No wonder some of us wake up thinking, "Why am I doing this again?"

But here's the kicker: most of us could live on much less and be just fine. Gasp! Scandalous, I know. But we're so caught up in this work-or-die mentality that we're selling our most precious asset - time - for the privilege of buying more junk.

"But wait!" you cry, "I can't live on 4 hours of work a day! I want to get married, have kids, live the dream!" To which I say: dreams are free, my friend. Love doesn't check your bank balance, and time with family is worth more than any designer handbag.

The 40-hour workweek is a relic from the industrial revolution. We've got robots and AI now, but instead of using them to work less, we're using them to create more pointless work. It's like inventing a time machine and using it to spend more time at the office.

Long hours are killing us softly. Stress, lack of sleep, and missing out on life - it's a recipe for regret. Nobody on their deathbed ever said, "I wish I'd spent more time in meetings."

So, what's the solution? Start small. Push for a 4-day workweek. Use AI for the boring stuff. Cut out useless meetings (you know, the ones that could've been an email).

In conclusion, 40 hours is too damn high! We've been fooled into thinking work is virtuous, but let's be real - it's just a means to an end. And that end should be happiness, not a bigger TV.

So next time you're grinding away at a job you hate to buy things you don't need, ask yourself: Is this really living, or am I just existing with better gadgets?

Time to reclaim your life, one less hour at a time. After all, work should be a hobby, not a life sentence. And if your hobby makes you miserable, well, maybe it's time to find a new one.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some important idleness to practice. Russell would be proud!