Basically, we Just Hate Working… (Science! Edition)
Steven L. Taylor
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Tuesday, August 21, 2012
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6 comments
Via the BBC: Scientists dispel ‘Miserable Monday’ myth
We may say we hate Mondays, but research suggests Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are equally loathed.
US investigators who looked at a poll of 340,000 people found moods were no worse on Mondays than other working days, bar Friday.
People were happier as they approached the weekend, lending support for the concept of “that Friday feeling”.
Well, there you go.
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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So did Monday’s get better or did the average American job get universally worse?
My daughter tells me that Thursdays are the new Fridays. I’ve noticed that many younger professionals are now treating Thursday evening as the beginning of the weekend. I’ve also noticed that many people flex Fridays to come in later (say 10:00) have a lengthy lunch appointment (90 minutes), then leave early (say no later than 4:00).
It’s the dirty little secret that Americans generally don’t want to acknowledge – we hate work.
We should, we’re the hardest working labor force in the advanced economic world, and we have very little to show for it.
There is a good Dilbert on this.
It isn’t that people hate working. It’s that people hate the low-wage, low skill, high-stress the workplace has become after thirty-seven years of policies designed to maintain a pool of unemployed persons. Bosses and managers have had the upper hand for so long they no longer see any need to structure jobs in a way attractive to workers.
And now we all live in Wal-Mart Universe. If I weren’t self-employed I’d hate going to work too.
Stupid moderation, also, related:
Which USA do you work in ?
I kind of love work.
Then again, for me work is sitting on my deck typing. And occasionally being flown to London (where I am at the moment) to be admired. Probably if I was still cleaning toilets for a living I’d like work less.