It's funny because when I was in high school I would tell everyone I wanted to be a dancer or a comic book artist but I was mostly laughed at and ridiculed for it by peers are those older then me, fast forward to 10 years later and those same people are now envious of my drive to do what I want and wish they had done the things they wanted to do with their lives. I have never been one to sacrifice what I like just for greater monetary gain. Work should always make you happy.
“Every job from the heart is, ultimately, of equal value. The nurse injects the syringe; the writer slides the pen; the farmer plows the dirt; the comedian draws the laughter. Monetary income is the perfect deceiver of a man's true worth...” ― Criss Jami, Killosophy
@3:30 it’s funny how “2022” was used in the context of a far ahead date in the future as the vid was made 6y ago but now is less than half a year ahead.
I am aware of my great fortune of having one of the best jobs. I am a pediatrician, and I am well compensated for doing what I feel is meaningful work. I touch people's lives, and they stir my innermost humanity and allow me to see the best part of the human experience.
I think that meaningful work is the central foundation for building a good life in all the other areas of life, such as friendships, relationships, and personal mental and physical well-being. People should be looking for work that is in line with their definition of progress, their desire to help others in a real way, and their personal ethics.
I am currently on a finite pathway of self discovery. One thing that I discovered earlier on is that perspective & perception is everything. Once you alter your perspective, so do you alter what you consider to be meaningful.
+SuperiorSeven Which you don't know for sure to be finite. Regardless, it is irrelevant whether it is or not. You will only know when you die (or not know since you're dead), and at that point you can care about finite or infinite pathways.
Waiting for a few more salaries so i can quit, buy some land and begin farming, and this gives me hope that it will be great. never found any meaningfulness in my current job, but work in the field and making things has always made me happy, thanks SoL :D
I'm glad that you made this video. Before I left the UK I was pressured by the job centre firstly to take on a commission only 72hrs a week job (not including the 3 hours of travel per day) and following my resignation of that job I was told "remove your university degree in music from your CV" so I could apply for an apprenticeship at £2.60 an hour. I have no regrets leaving a place that has such a overall negative view on those who seek out an honest career path.
Whoever runs the fucking education systems needs to see this. I'm sixteen and it's like "What do you want to do for the rest of your life? Choose before university applications. Which is in less than a year" And me standing there with more questions than months to answer them.
As an artist/writer, two of my heroes are Van Gogh and Henry Thoreau. They considered their work meaningful, but hardly anyone else did. They were not of use to the market- until after they were dead. An art historian in a lecture said we wouldn't neglect such people today. When I asked him about that (who will recognize what is culturally 50 years ahead of its time?), he said we need a guaranteed basic income. A basic income would also free others to reflect on their interests and pursue them fully, as well as be willing to do dirty or boring jobs for short periods to get money - but they wouldn't have to accept harassment or bullying, a plague on many jobs.
Sometimes the only way to do a meaningful work is to join or create a volunteer activity. It's not the perfect solution, since the economy itself should adjust and recognize value to meaningful work, therefore paying people for their work, but in some extreme situations some things stop beeing considered "priorities". Eg: work in Museum doing guided tours, organize cultural events in a medium size town, writing books about a particular subject facing social problems, etc All those are indeed valuable work and meaningful work, but one just can't get any money for doing it, it's not considered a job at all. So only as a "volunteer" you can do it. (sorry for bad english, hope you got the point).
People spend so much time looking for meaning, and happiness alike. Why can't the job you're doing at the moment be meaningful? I believe that's a worthwhile topic. How to find meaning with what you are given. I think it's also about deciding what path is worth the pain and struggle for yourself-- because what isn't hard work? We don't have all the time in the world and we aren't robots, we aren't programmed to "know" or carve our path. There is so much experimentation, time, money, struggle, stress, and most importantly, hard work involved. It's really in you if you would like what you're already stuck with, to have meaning and purpose. That's not to say, don't look for your meaning, but, it's like what we do with happiness-- we wait around for it to come or go searching for it as if there is some inherent way or form that happiness comes in. It is in you to identify your own meaning, and make your own happiness.
Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese concept that means ‘a reason for being.’ There are diagrams that illustrate this concept online. It’s a great guide for understanding your deeper motivations and seeing a path towards balance in your life.
One of my favorite parts was you how mentioned that enjoy our jobs has very practical use for society at large. How people being happy means they work harder and connect more with others and more creatively solve problems at work. There are SO many practical reasons for happiness.
I truly believe that all people deserve to have a meaningful job, but unfortunately I don't think that is feasible with the way the world currently works. As a species we need to advance so far beyond where we currently are, that this idealistic vision couldn't possibly come to fruition for a long time. I think it's much more realistic, in the mean time, that people pursue meaningful hobbies. Which could potentially turn into careers, for a lucky few. I myself am struggling to find my passion, I quit a good paying job which I did enjoy in part, so that I could chase something more meaningful. 10 months later, I still haven't figured it out. Thanks for the great videos Alain and team, keep them coming!
That really sucks. But at least the fact that it's unengaging enough that you can watch videos that might add meaning to your life in other ways. Good luck!
Also, it's a job that's necessary. You're facilitating the process by which people get products want or need. Meaning can be found anywhere. Maybe you're looking for something else in your work?
as the great Ian Dury once sung - ' what a jolly bad show if all you ever do is business you don't like '.....there are days i agree with him but then i'll create something for a client that improves their lives and their gratitude adjusts my perspective...........great video...a mind opener....tomorrow's rendering job may now be a pleasure....!
I was working as Industrial Safety Engineer at oil industry and now I am studying Analytic philosophy, because of The School of life video about What philosophy is for, turned a light on me, it's not meaningful job yet to help other but at least is a meaningful job to help me
+West Yorkshire sexism!? It's a joke right. I just moved forward, leap of faith, took the decision, create a different path of what society expect for me
i love this. i took a job as a driver of an adult special needs bus. disabled people depended on my service to get them almost everywhere, mainly dr visits, senior center activities, and dialysis (very meaningful) and i did it with love and devotion. i CARED. i was careful and friendly, and never had one single complaint. yet, as was eluded to in this video, i was degraded and treated very badly by the other workers (mainly because my level of care in the work was so far above theirs that i made them show as lazy asses; they had to work harder to not look bad against me) and also i am the only one of my race with 130 of another race. we had one Hispanic man, but they ran him off in 3 months because his English was vastly superior to theirs; he used proper words that they had no idea the meaning of. i lasted 5 years and 8 months. but within the first year and a half, i had lost or had ripped away from me the pure joy that the job gave me during the first 6 months. i lived in pure agony and starved almost to death, lost 50 pounds from the stress, and being forced to work through lunch period. had stomach surgery twice for ulcers, during the last 2 years. i am perfectly suited to do a job where i help people with a service they can't do. ... prime example of a fulfilling job becoming a nightmare. I'll be paying this on my page. sharing.
আমি সারাজীবন স্কুল কলেজ করে যা শিখতে পারিনি "The School of Life" তারচেয়ে বেশি করেছে। আমি শুধু একাই শিখছি না, অন্যের কাছেও তা পৌঁছে দিচ্ছি। ধন্যবাদ The School of Life। অনেক অনেক ধন্যবাদ। ম্যাক্সিম গোর্কী বোধহয় এমন স্কুলের কথাই বারংবার বলেছিলেন। :) পৃথিবীর পাঠশালায়... আমি জ্ঞান টোকাই।। Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you "The School of Life"
I'm a science and philosophy undergrad. One of those majors is clearly the more sensible career path. But every day I feel more drawn to study philosophy as a career... Just gotta take the leap of faith I suppose.
I'm currently a graphic design major but i've always loved philosophy and i'm thinking about switching majors, i have a meeting with a philosophy advisor next week to talk more about a philosophy major, i may end up taking that leap as well
Yeah there are huge connections. But as an academic career, you really have to pick. There are very specific requirements for become a professor and they're different for philosophy and science. There is philosophy of science and there is a more philosophical science researcher, but there always has to be a focus, a program you're trained in, a department you're a part of. You can reach across departments and so on, but you still have to be in one or the other.
I've only found your channel this afternoon (from FoodTube) and even after watching two of your videos, I know that I'll be watching more and more. Thank you for making such an inspiring and different channel :) x
Hey +The School of Life and +The Dairy Free Student Chef (Lily McGeough), I find that making the kind of videos I make fulfilling and meaningful. It has nothing to do with making ends meet or anything of the like, rather, it's a passion, and truly a joyful hobby that I hope will be recognised by more and more viewers. I hope to make a difference with my content and I feel that it's pretty similar to the kind of videos you make but not as animated. I hope to hear back from you! I hope we can can a dialogue and maybe collaborate different kind of videos...
I had a job working in customer service at a golf club. My God, that was miserable. I quit after 2 months. It wasn't challenging, it paid like shit (equivalent of $2/hr at an expensive club), and the company didn't care about the employees. That's my experience of taking a job because its a job. Until then I'd been searching for months for work out of University, with no luck, so I thought "why not", and honestly I was happier looking for work than I was in a job I hated. Now, on the fulfilling side, I work part-time as a sports coach at a Primary school, and I absolutely love it, I've never dreaded the idea of going to a session and I've never felt drained afterwards. The only problem here is that while its fulfilling, it doesn't pay well enough to earn a living from. I've thought about doing it privately and charging a higher rate for one-on-one sessions, but kids spend majority of their days in school and the sport I specialise in is seasonal. If I could do it and make a living from it, I would be the happiest person around.
Every company wants your talent, only a few will get it. Choose wisely. 1. Do you fall in love with the company's mission statement (i.e. What benefit is serves for society? If yes, move onto number 2.). 2. Is the brand awareness respectable enough that you can work for it? (If yes, move onto 3.). 3. Is the role/field for you? Do you see it enhancing your future skill set of where you want to be in say 2 years from now? (A lot of people have nfi which skills they want to sharpen, be introduced to or field they want to be in, a major alarm bell for personal career dissatisfaction). It's a shame the general public generally only tick the boxes of the first 2 and skip the third. If you're doing all three with yeses, than kudos! As for me, am I even in the right industry? - Every day. Hah. Info (or option) overload causes #ExistentialCrisis, too little option results in the feeling of slavery. I guess a little (role and reimbursement) negotiation can go a really long way when it comes to job satisfaction perhaps?
As someone who has lived at or below the poverty line for much of my adult life, I would be happy and grateful for a job that just paid well. I don't know if it's feasible for every person out there to be able to work a job that they feel is meaningful (and be able to support themselves financially). It's a beautiful idea, I wish it worked that way, but it's pretty idealistic, and not how supply and demand work. I think the best we can hope for is to find jobs that at least allow us a basic standard of living (if you're LUCKY) and pursue our passions on the side (if we have the free time and luxury to figure out what we're really passionate about).
Congratulations for such a profound and exciting channel! The quality of the content and illustrations is amazing. I'm Mexican and I was thinking that it would be fantastic to have these videos with Spanish subtitles, it would be a pleasure to collaborate with the creators in this particular task. I think many of my fellow Mexicans that doesn't speak english would find them really "meaningful" :) so I'm interested in helping, is it possible? Thanks a lot!
This has summed up all my thoughts about what a meaningful work is (and more) quite nicely. Thank u for a well made, articulate and insightful piece. I particularly liked the part when it said to make stories out of people's work experiences. It gives one a sense of pride and own accomplishment. A recognition as well. Makes work grounded into the self.
I like this video but I think it makes two critical assumptions: 1: that if we get better at identifying what kind of job people really want to do, that job will be open and accessible for all those who seek it. For example many more people may really want to be an astronaut, while there are very few openings for jobs as an astronaut. 2: that every person necessarily wishes their job to be meaningful by fixing a problem for humanity, not everyone cares so deeply abut helping or improving the lives of other humans.
+ares106 I think its clear that you also shouldn be good at your job, so being an astronaut is really hard so there still wont be many people who can do it. Besides, if you are not good at something its hard to enjoy it. those 2 always come togther i think
+ares106 And you are 1. Assuming that these people only want to be astronauts, instead of, say, secretary at NASA, or other non-space related openings at NASA and/or other space organisations. People can find meaning through a large arrays of jobs, as long as it's in their field of interest and they're good at it. 2. Humans are a social animal. Deep down every person wants to be recognized as a helpful human being by other human beings, by being part of project, a cog, so to speak. The egoistical behaviour of certain humans stems from the disillusionment due to a lack of meaning in honest hard work, and as a result they turn their meaning to generating as much money as possible, instead of helping others. This behaviour can be regulated by helping them from an early age in finding meaning in every day jobs.
+ares106 I agree that not everyone cares deeply about helping or improving the lives of other humans, but in our current way of thinking about work we almost disincentivize helping or improving the lives of others, as this video explains. I'd rather we build an economic system that rewards altruism rather than sociopathy.
Nik Garus I disagree, I dont know any astronauts but I do know a few people that wish they where programers or streamers or game designers, and the market is over-saturated with all 3 professions. Secondly I disagree with: "Deep down every person wants to be recognized as a helpful human being by other human beings". quite a few people are misanthropic, and to take that to an extreme some even commit mass shootings and want to be recognized not by helping but buy killing other humans, rich bankers are the least of our worries here.
ares106 i agree partly. There are really some people who dont want any social recoginzation for being helpful. But often its the case that some people cant get it in a social way and search for it in a other way, like career sucess or by crime.
I've watched enough of your videos to notice the narrater's constant fumbling at the word "issue". :D Great work with the videos. Keep em coming. I try and share as much of your videos as possible. They CAN bring change. :)
I'm still young, and in school, I can't imagine a life in which I work for some large firm to perform seemingly meaningless tasks. I hope I can one day make profit using my skills in art and writing. That would truly fullfil me.
The education system and society at large lays emphasis only on getting people ready for any job, so to find a meaningful job, find your authentic working self first and then help others to find it themselves ✌️ that's what I perceive from this video..good one..keep sharing 🔥🙏
Thanks, SoL. I also tend to find a changing work environment to be something that keeps me engaged, instead of sitting in some old office or cubicle 9-5 forever.
Really all you need is money for clean food and water, and a stable place to sleep. That’s all you really need money for so as long as you can scrape up enough money for those things you should be fine. Although I still don’t fully understand being an adult so probably just ignore me?
Same for me, I’m considering art therapy or just getting enough money to live cheap and volunteer/focus on hobbies. There are lots of options that your creativity and philosophical nature will open.
These are good ideas which build on the work of Ken Robertson. But for many people, they already KNOW what they want and what would make them fulfilled. What they need is a way to get there. As you point out, once paying the bills becomes the sole motivation and sole possibility, you are stuck in that cycle forever.
There's something very introverted about this script. As an introvert myself I approve that! But it is meaningful to also consider the extroverted view, i.e., this script is about how to find work that is meaningful to me, but it is also good to consider how meaningful one's work is to the world around you, the community at large...
A lot of people especially parents try to reinforce the idea that their work is meaningful by forcing their children into the same line of work as they did. That is also another general problem especially in developing countries
There are a lot of unfortunate comments here which are missing the point entirely. Let me just say that your other videos about work and the search for meaning were a strong influence on my recent decision to quit a job I hated. It paid well, but it was essentially meaningless and may not have been an improving element on society. I've realized that I needed something more from my life, and compartmentalizing a third of my waking hours was extremely unhealthy. I may have come to these realizations on my own, but SoL videos helped me to articulate what was missing, and now I'm working toward building a life that I want to live. So thank you, and please keep making great videos. (and on a totally pedantic note, I think the video might play better without the background music)
Really well-thought-out 👏 I think finding meaning at work is most people's daily issue anyway. That's why this content is so important. It's not just about getting people any kind of job (reducing unemployment). It's also about finding what suits one's interests and skills best.
How to Pursue Meaningful Work. I recommend first taking the MBTI personality test. This is a great place to start. There are other indexes and aptitude tests to take that will tell you your strengths, not just your likes. Finding things that you are good at is almost as important as finding things that you like in my opinion.
I've done many things from teaching, sales, restaurant jobs to even thinking of writing some essays and sell it to freelance.com lol. But what i want is to have a business on my own and live simple life drinking coffee with my wife at home and playing lego toys with my son.
how did you like teaching? I am currently studying social work and very frustrated with my choice. thinking about becoming a teacher instead, but I am not sure if it would be worthwhile the hard education
I work for a company called CaptionCall, which helps people who are in varying degrees of being hard of hearing , and I help them make and take the phone calls they need to make every day, using a voice dictation program called Dragon to display the non-disabled person's speech on a special phone that the client uses. Now, it goes without saying that some people whom I caption might be what some may consider "unsavory" or perhaps racist, but I don't concern myself with that. This company is addressing a vital need which WILL arise in the coming years: the need of an aging population suffering from varying degrees of hearing loss get on with their daily lives. Not only that, but this company cares a great deal about their workers. They offer pay at an acceptable degree above minimum and good benefits for both their part and full time people. This work is fulfilling and meaningful to me in that I am helping to provide a service to those who desperately need it, I don't have to deal directly with people and so my days aren't all that stressful, and these people I'm working for have a vested interest in keeping us comfortable and happy; because it's hard for us to do our jobs when we're not. They're always looking for new people. If you can pass a typing and dictation test you're in (above 60 words per minute which is not too hard). Find a center near you and mention my name if you get into training :P (Ryan Ashley)
I have some doubts about career Psychotherapy. Searching your deep self - or better searching the sense in life and work is not a medical matter or a psychological matter. It's a philosophical question. So I would prefer ontological coaching instead of Psychotherapy. My book about this will appear next year.
The nature of work for the vast majority of people is this; folks have to be paid to do it. Work activity is not desirable enough for most to do for free. Most people enjoy watching movies at theaters; lying down at the beach, drinking with friends at the pub or just being at home on the couch watching TV. We don't get paid to do that. Most jobs are unpleasant or monotonous which means money is required to get people to do it. The best that can be done is to find the job which is the least unpleasant or if desperate, find any job you can.
The real sad part when you have spent around 9 years of higher education in a certain field, and after that you discover that it's not really your thing, and the unfulfillment part only grows larger. Is anyone else in my shoes? I need a hug.
With the coming of automation humanity could get the opportunity and time to find activities that are more meaningful to them personally. It really comes down to what type of ideology that's in power when automation is more fully implemented.
Confuzzled Tomato The weirdest part for me is that I'm hyper aware of it but it doesn't change anything at all. Reflection, at least in my case, is not helping me to change anything.
+all of them milking with green fleshy flowers You're not ready to do anything yet. When you're ready you'll know what to do, because it's something you've been doing all your life but put to the back of your mind, for some reason.
There's so much to be gained by taking the plunge and moving onto a more fulfilling job! It's a pity that unfortunately not everybody can afford to do that, and society doesn't provide for this kind of mobility...
Avoid Marketing will go a long way to not end up in a meaningless job. I can't think of anything the world needs less than a bunch of people commited to convincing others to buy shit they don't need with money they don't have. Wasters the lot of em.
+Rob The Fandom Menace How do you get that something good noticed when there is so much 'noise'? Isn't part of our problem that there is so much choice that it becomes hard to distinguish between what is bad, OK, good, and excellent?
BigHenFor In a time of social media saturation, word of mouth should be good enough to sell the best products. Right now we have a situation where products with the most money behind them sell the best, whether they're the best products or not.
***** Do you know who your communicating with? I don't know you, and you don't know me so how can you put any weight in my opinion? Social media makes information more plentiful, but less easy to verify its validity. Where does it leave the Consumer? Still having to do their homework. I don't take advertisers' claims at face value. Example: Android Lollipop. Look at the reviews at the beginning - brilliant, better than sliced bread. Now, a Google Play reviewer commenting on a Google update summed it up in a phrase: Lollipop is Google's Windows 8... Based on my own experience, the Google Play guy is right... The fact that Google are throwing resources at getting Android Marshmallow ready speaks volumes as all the updates I've had so far has not fixed the bugs I've got, and I haven't even got Lollipop 5.1.1 yet. You see? My advice is never be an early adopter of new tech - leave it for 6mths so that the bugs have a chance to be fixed. Take your time.
BigHenFor well i wouldn't dispute any of that but its a little off topic. Basically, i think everyone in marketing should kill themselves, because the world would be better off without them, all things considered. :)
I work as a baker (among other things, as needed) at a non-profit organization that has a kindergarden, cleaning services, the bakery and its stores and a kitchen that also serves the poor. I honestly don't "feel" like I'm making a difference. Maybe it's because I'm getting paid for it, but I don't have a warm feeling in my heart that my job helps people.
+Marcelo Monteiro (Lyzern) When you get ready in the morning, imagine the little kids getting ready, looking forward to seeing their friends (and you, maybe?). If you help make or market the bread, imagine the people refreshed and re-energized as they share tasty meal with family after a day of work... It may help also to reflect on the contributions of others: The crews who go throughout the city collecting trash... so we don't have to contend with taking it somewhere... Etc., etc. In such a complex society, we are many people contributing to one-another's ability to enjoy our lives in many large and small ways.
Being able to work with a boring or seemingly meaningless job, if you ask me, comes down to universal respect mixed with some optimism. I personally look forward to working with computer science once I am done with my education. However, I've also had a few jobs that some would find horribly boring or meaningless. The first, least meaningless was as a substitute teacher (mostly for kids 6-10 years old but also 10-16). Here, I found meaning in knowing that I can make a difference in how a given child learns, whether it is about social situations or in academic regards. Not to mention, the joy that children can bring is meaningful, even though it is also weighed down to balance from the times they are sad, angry, etc. Second, working as a stage builder before/after a concert (specifically for Metallica, Miley Cyrus and some theater, only had two job opportunities with them). Pushing carts around filled with heavy parts that will eventually be built into a stage may also seem very boring and somewhat meaningless. I would find meaning in knowing that I am a small part of a huge operation and without all of the small pieces, the operation wouldn't be working. So essentially, without all of us there would be no concerts. In that, I learned respect for all professions, as I had never even given a thought to that there were people working THAT hard just to prepare a stage. The third and most recent job that I had, which I found to be the most tiresome and boring was in metal production. I was doing one of two things, all the time. I was either packaging metal pieces in cardboard boxes all day, or I was putting the metal pieces under a machine, pressed a button and let it go into the "finished" boxes. I sometimes had huge trouble finding meaning in this work, because of how monotonous and lacking of social interaction it was. What did help was seeing the people around me, who had worked there for 5-20 years. They had been doing it EVERY (week)day for that long time, 10 hours a day! I felt that if they could do it, so should I be able to. What puts me above them? Nothing, mutual respect is necessary. Here, I also felt that I was one of the smallest moving parts in the big industry of metal being sold and used (particularly for electronics in this case) and realized that much of our society wouldn't function without people doing this type of work. Mutual for all of these jobs was that I had to view myself equal to everyone else and not put myself to an arrogant pedestal. That way, I know that the work has to be done and if I do it, someone else will be less loaded with work, at least to some degree. So remember if you ever feel like you're in a shitty spot, it could be worse and you are definitely not alone. That being said, you should always seek to find something that you love to do to the point where it doesn't feel like a job. "Plork" (play+work) as my philosophy teacher used to say. Hopefully this wall of text can help someone find meaningfulness in their job or task that they have to/want to perform for whatever reason.
This video is really a eyeopener! Thank you for sharing your insights and wisdom regarding what matters about work! I hope I could find one someday a meaningful job I can be proud of... I'm just kinda confuse on what I really want. Well its quite hard to find a fulfilling and meaningful job especially if your living in a third world country.
"...which is a pity not only for individuals but for economics as a whole" totally true! If only Alain de Botton is the PM / president!!! I'll totally vote for him.
"Most of us have a dangerously loose hold on what really brings us satisfaction long term." It's funny how that's so, ain't it? You'd think it'd be easy for us to "know ourselves" and know what brings us fulfillment and satisfaction, yet it's surprisingly elusive, and we get bought off and caught up in running after amusement, diversion, and thrills. To be able to develop mindfulness and introspection, to try things out and discover our authentic self, is something that ought to be allowed for and mentored. Both in the world of work and in all other aspects of life. Imagine living amongst a bunch of fulfilled people... what a wonderful place that could be.
thank you very much you brought up to major points that tick me off with the world at large 1 they force us into jobs that fit industries and/or companies that benefit the economy or are just a major company or businesses praying on unsure individuals to create profit for themselves and secondly our schools are to vague and abstract so busy teaching us all these small random things that they don't prepare us for the world at large including all the possibilities it may hold :P with pisses me off to no end.
My idea was that the problem with keep being motivated is that you supposed to find "the ONE " in this field yet again ...and it just does not exist, here either. You may decide that you stay fatefull or change for a new one every now and then. What I wish to do is not needing to choose. I wish to work in vastly different fields preferably paralell than needing to be a new starter every five years or so. I think it would be even more healty. Working in an office sittin 9-5 each day for ten years than having to stand and/or lift stuff in a gardening shop for an other ten yesrs would criple you both in their own unique way. But if you could do office work for a couple of days a week, phisical work for some other days, social work for yet an other day. You may end up realising you did not get so bored and tired and do not need to catch up with the one you missed out on the weekends so much. ....except maybe sleep :D ....it is a time management challenge though and would need lot more flexible employers or an entirely different system.
That first requirement you mention (work needs to generate income) is only a consequence of the fact that we do not share natural wealth equally. When we charge appropriate fees to industries that put pollution or take natural resources, we will create an incentive to all industry to try to *reduce* environmental impacts. This will promote sustainability. We *must* do this to fulfill our responsibility to make a rational economic system that operates in alignment with the interests of the larger society. ("Appropriate fees" would be high enough to ensure that industries have sufficient incentive to reduce environmental impacts. "Sufficient incentive" results in industries trying hard enough to reduce those impacts. If random surveys show that most people think there is not too much of this or that pollution, not too-rapid depletion of this or that resource, then we will know that industries are trying hard enough and the associated fees are set at the right amount.) Sharing fee proceeds among all the world's people would mean that no person would be threatened with poverty if they fail to find gainful employment. So, when (a monetary representation of) natural wealth is shared, people could look primarily for what activities would bring meaning to their lives, and secondarily they could look for what earning opportunities are available from among those activities. Equal sharing of Natural Resources promotes Justice and Sustainability: gaiabrain.blogspot.com/2011/06/golden-rule-and-public-property-rights.html A sustainable and just civilization requires that we use our moral sense: gaiabrain.blogspot.com/2008/12/sustainable-and-just-civilization.html
This is a very interesting video, but if everyone everywhere found fully meaningful work, then many jobs would go unfilled, and most of society would probably collapse. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try, but on some level it is good that not all people find meaningful work.
It's funny because when I was in high school I would tell everyone I wanted to be a dancer or a comic book artist but I was mostly laughed at and ridiculed for it by peers are those older then me, fast forward to 10 years later and those same people are now envious of my drive to do what I want and wish they had done the things they wanted to do with their lives. I have never been one to sacrifice what I like just for greater monetary gain. Work should always make you happy.
Make you happy and earn you money
There's a lot of envious people there.
Sir, can you tell me your journey on how u became a comic book artist?
“Every job from the heart is, ultimately, of equal value. The nurse injects the syringe; the writer slides the pen; the farmer plows the dirt; the comedian draws the laughter. Monetary income is the perfect deceiver of a man's true worth...”
― Criss Jami, Killosophy
@3:30 it’s funny how “2022” was used in the context of a far ahead date in the future as the vid was made 6y ago but now is less than half a year ahead.
Truly amazing videos.. they are all a joy to watch... and I watch them multiple times!
This channel is phenomenal. Thank you so much for the wealth of information. It is by luck that I stumbled upon these videos.
I am aware of my great fortune of having one of the best jobs. I am a pediatrician, and I am well compensated for doing what I feel is meaningful work. I touch people's lives, and they stir my innermost humanity and allow me to see the best part of the human experience.
Apparently, you do not know what a pediatrician does.
You're very blessed
Congratulations!
I think that meaningful work is the central foundation for building a good life in all the other areas of life, such as friendships, relationships, and personal mental and physical well-being. People should be looking for work that is in line with their definition of progress, their desire to help others in a real way, and their personal ethics.
That's absolutely correct, Rachael.
I am currently on a finite pathway of self discovery. One thing that I discovered earlier on is that perspective & perception is everything. Once you alter your perspective, so do you alter what you consider to be meaningful.
+SuperiorSeven Almost everything is a matter of perspective. You're absolutely right!
+SuperiorSeven Make that infinite and you've taken a step forward.
+SuperiorSeven Well, no shit.
Morphion finite, in correspondence with my finite time on earth
+SuperiorSeven Which you don't know for sure to be finite. Regardless, it is irrelevant whether it is or not. You will only know when you die (or not know since you're dead), and at that point you can care about finite or infinite pathways.
Waiting for a few more salaries so i can quit, buy some land and begin farming, and this gives me hope that it will be great. never found any meaningfulness in my current job, but work in the field and making things has always made me happy, thanks SoL :D
i am the same i love getting dirty.
I'm glad that you made this video. Before I left the UK I was pressured by the job centre firstly to take on a commission only 72hrs a week job (not including the 3 hours of travel per day) and following my resignation of that job I was told "remove your university degree in music from your CV" so I could apply for an apprenticeship at £2.60 an hour. I have no regrets leaving a place that has such a overall negative view on those who seek out an honest career path.
Well done on following your dream and not staying in a country which didn’t line up a job which was in need of someone with a degree in music.
Whoever runs the fucking education systems needs to see this. I'm sixteen and it's like "What do you want to do for the rest of your life? Choose before university applications. Which is in less than a year" And me standing there with more questions than months to answer them.
Now 20, what happened?
@@bryanramirez1280 i wanna know too
Relatable bro
they don't care or they do it intentionally so we learn to ignore our will and instead go do and pay for what they want
As an artist/writer, two of my heroes are Van Gogh and Henry Thoreau. They considered their work meaningful, but hardly anyone else did. They were not of use to the market- until after they were dead. An art historian in a lecture said we wouldn't neglect such people today. When I asked him about that (who will recognize what is culturally 50 years ahead of its time?), he said we need a guaranteed basic income. A basic income would also free others to reflect on their interests and pursue them fully, as well as be willing to do dirty or boring jobs for short periods to get money - but they wouldn't have to accept harassment or bullying, a plague on many jobs.
are you getting by as an artist/writer?
Sometimes the only way to do a meaningful work is to join or create a volunteer activity. It's not the perfect solution, since the economy itself should adjust and recognize value to meaningful work, therefore paying people for their work, but in some extreme situations some things stop beeing considered "priorities". Eg: work in Museum doing guided tours, organize cultural events in a medium size town, writing books about a particular subject facing social problems, etc All those are indeed valuable work and meaningful work, but one just can't get any money for doing it, it's not considered a job at all. So only as a "volunteer" you can do it. (sorry for bad english, hope you got the point).
People spend so much time looking for meaning, and happiness alike. Why can't the job you're doing at the moment be meaningful? I believe that's a worthwhile topic. How to find meaning with what you are given.
I think it's also about deciding what path is worth the pain and struggle for yourself-- because what isn't hard work?
We don't have all the time in the world and we aren't robots, we aren't programmed to "know" or carve our path. There is so much experimentation, time, money, struggle, stress, and most importantly, hard work involved. It's really in you if you would like what you're already stuck with, to have meaning and purpose.
That's not to say, don't look for your meaning, but, it's like what we do with happiness-- we wait around for it to come or go searching for it as if there is some inherent way or form that happiness comes in.
It is in you to identify your own meaning, and make your own happiness.
Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese concept that means ‘a reason for being.’ There are diagrams that illustrate this concept online. It’s a great guide for understanding your deeper motivations and seeing a path towards balance in your life.
One of my favorite parts was you how mentioned that enjoy our jobs has very practical use for society at large. How people being happy means they work harder and connect more with others and more creatively solve problems at work. There are SO many practical reasons for happiness.
It's getting hired that's the hard part
I truly believe that all people deserve to have a meaningful job, but unfortunately I don't think that is feasible with the way the world currently works. As a species we need to advance so far beyond where we currently are, that this idealistic vision couldn't possibly come to fruition for a long time. I think it's much more realistic, in the mean time, that people pursue meaningful hobbies. Which could potentially turn into careers, for a lucky few.
I myself am struggling to find my passion, I quit a good paying job which I did enjoy in part, so that I could chase something more meaningful. 10 months later, I still haven't figured it out.
Thanks for the great videos Alain and team, keep them coming!
I watch School of Life videos behind the cash register of my meaningless job.
That really sucks. But at least the fact that it's unengaging enough that you can watch videos that might add meaning to your life in other ways.
Good luck!
Also, it's a job that's necessary. You're facilitating the process by which people get products want or need. Meaning can be found anywhere. Maybe you're looking for something else in your work?
Don't worry. It might be just a stepping stone. Better things are coming ✨
as the great Ian Dury once sung - ' what a jolly bad show if all you ever do is business you don't like '.....there are days i agree with him but then i'll create something for a client that improves their lives and their gratitude adjusts my perspective...........great video...a mind opener....tomorrow's rendering job may now be a pleasure....!
I rejoice every time I see a new video posted by The school of life. I look forward to these more than those of all my other subscribed channels.
another incredibly valuable video, thanks to all behind bringing them here
+ollie mealing the heck... ollie watching sol hahahahha
I was working as Industrial Safety Engineer at oil industry and now I am studying Analytic philosophy, because of The School of life video about What philosophy is for, turned a light on me, it's not meaningful job yet to help other but at least is a meaningful job to help me
what did you have to do what did your job entail also, did you have to deal with any sexism?
+West Yorkshire sexism!? It's a joke right.
I just moved forward, leap of faith, took the decision, create a different path of what society expect for me
hadria leon fair enough you seem like a very spitiual person also you know what you want which is good because most people don't.
+hadria leon According to Camus, leap of faith is philosophical suicide.
+kalle hänninen I can't not be more agree with that, self dead (ego) take a lot of courage
i love this. i took a job as a driver of an adult special needs bus. disabled people depended on my service to get them almost everywhere, mainly dr visits, senior center activities, and dialysis (very meaningful) and i did it with love and devotion. i CARED. i was careful and friendly, and never had one single complaint.
yet, as was eluded to in this video, i was degraded and treated very badly by the other workers (mainly because my level of care in the work was so far above theirs that i made them show as lazy asses; they had to work harder to not look bad against me) and also i am the only one of my race with 130 of another race. we had one Hispanic man, but they ran him off in 3 months because his English was vastly superior to theirs; he used proper words that they had no idea the meaning of.
i lasted 5 years and 8 months. but within the first year and a half, i had lost or had ripped away from me the pure joy that the job gave me during the first 6 months. i lived in pure agony and starved almost to death, lost 50 pounds from the stress, and being forced to work through lunch period. had stomach surgery twice for ulcers, during the last 2 years. i am perfectly suited to do a job where i help people with a service they can't do. ... prime example of a fulfilling job becoming a nightmare. I'll be paying this on my page. sharing.
Everybody working for the School of Life should then find their works meaningful. Because it certainly helps a lot of us. A LOT.
আমি সারাজীবন স্কুল কলেজ করে যা শিখতে পারিনি "The School of Life" তারচেয়ে বেশি করেছে। আমি শুধু একাই শিখছি না, অন্যের কাছেও তা পৌঁছে দিচ্ছি। ধন্যবাদ The School of Life। অনেক অনেক ধন্যবাদ। ম্যাক্সিম গোর্কী বোধহয় এমন স্কুলের কথাই বারংবার বলেছিলেন। :)
পৃথিবীর পাঠশালায়... আমি জ্ঞান টোকাই।। Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you "The School of Life"
I'm a science and philosophy undergrad. One of those majors is clearly the more sensible career path. But every day I feel more drawn to study philosophy as a career... Just gotta take the leap of faith I suppose.
I'm currently a graphic design major but i've always loved philosophy and i'm thinking about switching majors, i have a meeting with a philosophy advisor next week to talk more about a philosophy major, i may end up taking that leap as well
Yeah there are huge connections. But as an academic career, you really have to pick. There are very specific requirements for become a professor and they're different for philosophy and science. There is philosophy of science and there is a more philosophical science researcher, but there always has to be a focus, a program you're trained in, a department you're a part of. You can reach across departments and so on, but you still have to be in one or the other.
Biochem and Molecular bio, and probably philosophy of science
I've only found your channel this afternoon (from FoodTube) and even after watching two of your videos, I know that I'll be watching more and more. Thank you for making such an inspiring and different channel :) x
Hey +The School of Life and +The Dairy Free Student Chef (Lily McGeough), I find that making the kind of videos I make fulfilling and meaningful. It has nothing to do with making ends meet or anything of the like, rather, it's a passion, and truly a joyful hobby that I hope will be recognised by more and more viewers. I hope to make a difference with my content and I feel that it's pretty similar to the kind of videos you make but not as animated. I hope to hear back from you! I hope we can can a dialogue and maybe collaborate different kind of videos...
I had a job working in customer service at a golf club. My God, that was miserable. I quit after 2 months. It wasn't challenging, it paid like shit (equivalent of $2/hr at an expensive club), and the company didn't care about the employees. That's my experience of taking a job because its a job. Until then I'd been searching for months for work out of University, with no luck, so I thought "why not", and honestly I was happier looking for work than I was in a job I hated.
Now, on the fulfilling side, I work part-time as a sports coach at a Primary school, and I absolutely love it, I've never dreaded the idea of going to a session and I've never felt drained afterwards. The only problem here is that while its fulfilling, it doesn't pay well enough to earn a living from. I've thought about doing it privately and charging a higher rate for one-on-one sessions, but kids spend majority of their days in school and the sport I specialise in is seasonal. If I could do it and make a living from it, I would be the happiest person around.
have you figured it out by now?
best channel on youtube
After every video I watch on your channel I become a better person, more goal-oriented, thank you!
Every company wants your talent, only a few will get it. Choose wisely.
1. Do you fall in love with the company's mission statement (i.e. What benefit is serves for society? If yes, move onto number 2.).
2. Is the brand awareness respectable enough that you can work for it? (If yes, move onto 3.).
3. Is the role/field for you? Do you see it enhancing your future skill set of where you want to be in say 2 years from now? (A lot of people have nfi which skills they want to sharpen, be introduced to or field they want to be in, a major alarm bell for personal career dissatisfaction).
It's a shame the general public generally only tick the boxes of the first 2 and skip the third. If you're doing all three with yeses, than kudos! As for me, am I even in the right industry? - Every day. Hah. Info (or option) overload causes #ExistentialCrisis, too little option results in the feeling of slavery. I guess a little (role and reimbursement) negotiation can go a really long way when it comes to job satisfaction perhaps?
Dude. People need this advice more then you think. It's like How To Win Friends and Influence people. Down to earth and common-sense, but so needed :D
what field do you work in?
As someone who has lived at or below the poverty line for much of my adult life, I would be happy and grateful for a job that just paid well. I don't know if it's feasible for every person out there to be able to work a job that they feel is meaningful (and be able to support themselves financially). It's a beautiful idea, I wish it worked that way, but it's pretty idealistic, and not how supply and demand work. I think the best we can hope for is to find jobs that at least allow us a basic standard of living (if you're LUCKY) and pursue our passions on the side (if we have the free time and luxury to figure out what we're really passionate about).
Congratulations for such a profound and exciting channel! The quality of the content and illustrations is amazing. I'm Mexican and I was thinking that it would be fantastic to have these videos with Spanish subtitles, it would be a pleasure to collaborate with the creators in this particular task. I think many of my fellow Mexicans that doesn't speak english would find them really "meaningful" :) so I'm interested in helping, is it possible? Thanks a lot!
Very thought provoking. Surely there is nothing more important about work than purpose and contribution to the greater good.
The government *ministry of education in particular* should watch this video
This has been the most positive video I've ever seen by The School of Life.
This has summed up all my thoughts about what a meaningful work is (and more) quite nicely. Thank u for a well made, articulate and insightful piece. I particularly liked the part when it said to make stories out of people's work experiences. It gives one a sense of pride and own accomplishment. A recognition as well. Makes work grounded into the self.
I like this video but I think it makes two critical assumptions:
1: that if we get better at identifying what kind of job people really want to do, that job will be open and accessible for all those who seek it. For example many more people may really want to be an astronaut, while there are very few openings for jobs as an astronaut.
2: that every person necessarily wishes their job to be meaningful by fixing a problem for humanity, not everyone cares so deeply abut helping or improving the lives of other humans.
+ares106 I think its clear that you also shouldn be good at your job, so being an astronaut is really hard so there still wont be many people who can do it. Besides, if you are not good at something its hard to enjoy it. those 2 always come togther i think
+ares106 And you are 1. Assuming that these people only want to be astronauts, instead of, say, secretary at NASA, or other non-space related openings at NASA and/or other space organisations. People can find meaning through a large arrays of jobs, as long as it's in their field of interest and they're good at it.
2. Humans are a social animal. Deep down every person wants to be recognized as a helpful human being by other human beings, by being part of project, a cog, so to speak. The egoistical behaviour of certain humans stems from the disillusionment due to a lack of meaning in honest hard work, and as a result they turn their meaning to generating as much money as possible, instead of helping others. This behaviour can be regulated by helping them from an early age in finding meaning in every day jobs.
+ares106 I agree that not everyone cares deeply about helping or improving the lives of other humans, but in our current way of thinking about work we almost disincentivize helping or improving the lives of others, as this video explains. I'd rather we build an economic system that rewards altruism rather than sociopathy.
Nik Garus
I disagree, I dont know any astronauts but I do know a few people that wish they where programers or streamers or game designers, and the market is over-saturated with all 3 professions.
Secondly I disagree with: "Deep down every person wants to be recognized as a helpful human being by other human beings". quite a few people are misanthropic, and to take that to an extreme some even commit mass shootings and want to be recognized not by helping but buy killing other humans, rich bankers are the least of our worries here.
ares106 i agree partly. There are really some people who dont want any social recoginzation for being helpful. But often its the case that some people cant get it in a social way and search for it in a other way, like career sucess or by crime.
I've watched enough of your videos to notice the narrater's constant fumbling at the word "issue".
:D
Great work with the videos. Keep em coming.
I try and share as much of your videos as possible. They CAN bring change.
:)
I'm still young, and in school, I can't imagine a life in which I work for some large firm to perform seemingly meaningless tasks. I hope I can one day make profit using my skills in art and writing. That would truly fullfil me.
+I Mean Business Very uhm... Comforting xD Nah, but thanks for commenting
I wish you gud luck
You should work for this channel or something similar!
The education system and society at large lays emphasis only on getting people ready for any job, so to find a meaningful job, find your authentic working self first and then help others to find it themselves ✌️ that's what I perceive from this video..good one..keep sharing 🔥🙏
Thanks, SoL.
I also tend to find a changing work environment to be something that keeps me engaged, instead of sitting in some old office or cubicle 9-5 forever.
be and a building engineer.
I'm interested in art and philosophy, which means I'm basically screwed! :D
No. You are not. You are one of the luckiest person
Really all you need is money for clean food and water, and a stable place to sleep. That’s all you really need money for so as long as you can scrape up enough money for those things you should be fine. Although I still don’t fully understand being an adult so probably just ignore me?
Exactlyyyyyyyyyyy ... my exact same situation
Same for me, I’m considering art therapy or just getting enough money to live cheap and volunteer/focus on hobbies. There are lots of options that your creativity and philosophical nature will open.
These are good ideas which build on the work of Ken Robertson. But for many people, they already KNOW what they want and what would make them fulfilled. What they need is a way to get there. As you point out, once paying the bills becomes the sole motivation and sole possibility, you are stuck in that cycle forever.
what needs to be changed the most is not the environment, not the job itself, it's our perception and intention.
so true, if this world is driven by passionate people, it will be a better place to live
There's something very introverted about this script. As an introvert myself I approve that! But it is meaningful to also consider the extroverted view, i.e., this script is about how to find work that is meaningful to me, but it is also good to consider how meaningful one's work is to the world around you, the community at large...
This video just translates the thought that was always in my mind. Loved it. -aspiring entrepreneur
I think without a doubt that it is the best channel i ever followed
A lot of people especially parents try to reinforce the idea that their work is meaningful by forcing their children into the same line of work as they did. That is also another general problem especially in developing countries
There are a lot of unfortunate comments here which are missing the point entirely.
Let me just say that your other videos about work and the search for meaning were a strong influence on my recent decision to quit a job I hated. It paid well, but it was essentially meaningless and may not have been an improving element on society. I've realized that I needed something more from my life, and compartmentalizing a third of my waking hours was extremely unhealthy.
I may have come to these realizations on my own, but SoL videos helped me to articulate what was missing, and now I'm working toward building a life that I want to live. So thank you, and please keep making great videos.
(and on a totally pedantic note, I think the video might play better without the background music)
Really well-thought-out 👏 I think finding meaning at work is most people's daily issue anyway. That's why this content is so important. It's not just about getting people any kind of job (reducing unemployment). It's also about finding what suits one's interests and skills best.
How to Pursue Meaningful Work. I recommend first taking the MBTI personality test. This is a great place to start. There are other indexes and aptitude tests to take that will tell you your strengths, not just your likes. Finding things that you are good at is almost as important as finding things that you like in my opinion.
I've done many things from teaching, sales, restaurant jobs to even thinking of writing some essays and sell it to freelance.com lol. But what i want is to have a business on my own and live simple life drinking coffee with my wife at home and playing lego toys with my son.
how did you like teaching? I am currently studying social work and very frustrated with my choice. thinking about becoming a teacher instead, but I am not sure if it would be worthwhile the hard education
I work for a company called CaptionCall, which helps people who are in varying degrees of being hard of hearing , and I help them make and take the phone calls they need to make every day, using a voice dictation program called Dragon to display the non-disabled person's speech on a special phone that the client uses. Now, it goes without saying that some people whom I caption might be what some may consider "unsavory" or perhaps racist, but I don't concern myself with that. This company is addressing a vital need which WILL arise in the coming years: the need of an aging population suffering from varying degrees of hearing loss get on with their daily lives. Not only that, but this company cares a great deal about their workers. They offer pay at an acceptable degree above minimum and good benefits for both their part and full time people. This work is fulfilling and meaningful to me in that I am helping to provide a service to those who desperately need it, I don't have to deal directly with people and so my days aren't all that stressful, and these people I'm working for have a vested interest in keeping us comfortable and happy; because it's hard for us to do our jobs when we're not. They're always looking for new people. If you can pass a typing and dictation test you're in (above 60 words per minute which is not too hard). Find a center near you and mention my name if you get into training :P (Ryan Ashley)
that seems so cool! sadly I haven't found anything similiar in Germany
I have some doubts about career Psychotherapy. Searching your deep self - or better searching the sense in life and work is not a medical matter or a psychological matter. It's a philosophical question. So I would prefer ontological coaching instead of Psychotherapy. My book about this will appear next year.
do you know about any jobs related to this question? I'd like to help people figure out what kind of job they want to do
The nature of work for the vast majority of people is this; folks have to be paid to do it.
Work activity is not desirable enough for most to do for free. Most people enjoy watching movies at theaters; lying down at the beach, drinking with friends at the pub or just being at home on the couch watching TV. We don't get paid to do that.
Most jobs are unpleasant or monotonous which means money is required to get people to do it.
The best that can be done is to find the job which is the least unpleasant or if desperate, find any job you can.
The real sad part when you have spent around 9 years of higher education in a certain field, and after that you discover that it's not really your thing, and the unfulfillment part only grows larger. Is anyone else in my shoes? I need a hug.
here! have you figured it out by now?
With the coming of automation humanity could get the opportunity and time to find activities that are more meaningful to them personally.
It really comes down to what type of ideology that's in power when automation is more fully implemented.
The School of Life is meaningful labor :) Congratulations for such an awesome project.
I dont like doing anything...except to waste time.
+Confuzzled Tomato sums my life pretty much up.
+all of them milking with green fleshy flowers yea it's so strange I first stumbles upon this channel was because of this same question.
Confuzzled Tomato The weirdest part for me is that I'm hyper aware of it but it doesn't change anything at all. Reflection, at least in my case, is not helping me to change anything.
Same here I just fantasize about all the cool shit I would like to do but then just end up playing videogames
+all of them milking with green fleshy flowers You're not ready to do anything yet. When you're ready you'll know what to do, because it's something you've been doing all your life but put to the back of your mind, for some reason.
In my professional life,I have always excelled. I was the protoge,diamond in the rough, in the course of my working life.
This channel has become a favorite. Thank you!
Wow, this video is both uplifting and motivating. Thank you for your meaningful work.
Your channel is the best! Thank you for creating such quality-driven content.
Great video. Thank you The School of Life.
There's so much to be gained by taking the plunge and moving onto a more fulfilling job! It's a pity that unfortunately not everybody can afford to do that, and society doesn't provide for this kind of mobility...
Thank you for this video, it really inspires me. Your works really help me and others becoming better humans.
Avoid Marketing will go a long way to not end up in a meaningless job.
I can't think of anything the world needs less than a bunch of people commited to convincing others to buy shit they don't need with money they don't have.
Wasters the lot of em.
jstanothabludyalbert
if something is good for humunity, it won't need anyone to sell it.
+Rob The Fandom Menace How do you get that something good noticed when there is so much 'noise'? Isn't part of our problem that there is so much choice that it becomes hard to distinguish between what is bad, OK, good, and excellent?
BigHenFor
In a time of social media saturation, word of mouth should be good enough to sell the best products.
Right now we have a situation where products with the most money behind them sell the best, whether they're the best products or not.
***** Do you know who your communicating with? I don't know you, and you don't know me so how can you put any weight in my opinion? Social media makes information more plentiful, but less easy to verify its validity. Where does it leave the Consumer? Still having to do their homework. I don't take advertisers' claims at face value. Example: Android Lollipop. Look at the reviews at the beginning - brilliant, better than sliced bread. Now, a Google Play reviewer commenting on a Google update summed it up in a phrase: Lollipop is Google's Windows 8... Based on my own experience, the Google Play guy is right... The fact that Google are throwing resources at getting Android Marshmallow ready speaks volumes as all the updates I've had so far has not fixed the bugs I've got, and I haven't even got Lollipop 5.1.1 yet. You see? My advice is never be an early adopter of new tech - leave it for 6mths so that the bugs have a chance to be fixed. Take your time.
BigHenFor
well i wouldn't dispute any of that but its a little off topic.
Basically, i think everyone in marketing should kill themselves, because the world would be better off without them, all things considered. :)
I can't figure out how you guys come up with the topics for these videos , hits a cord every time and I wait eagerly for the next one to come..
I work as a baker (among other things, as needed) at a non-profit organization that has a kindergarden, cleaning services, the bakery and its stores and a kitchen that also serves the poor. I honestly don't "feel" like I'm making a difference. Maybe it's because I'm getting paid for it, but I don't have a warm feeling in my heart that my job helps people.
+Marcelo Monteiro (Lyzern) When you get ready in the morning, imagine the little kids getting ready, looking forward to seeing their friends (and you, maybe?). If you help make or market the bread, imagine the people refreshed and re-energized as they share tasty meal with family after a day of work...
It may help also to reflect on the contributions of others: The crews who go throughout the city collecting trash... so we don't have to contend with taking it somewhere... Etc., etc. In such a complex society, we are many people contributing to one-another's ability to enjoy our lives in many large and small ways.
This channel is the most clever one on TH-cam, good job. No regret on subscribing.
This is very similar to the point I made in my book Stop Chasing Carrots: Healing Self-Help Deceptions With a Scientific Philosophy of Life.
Being able to work with a boring or seemingly meaningless job, if you ask me, comes down to universal respect mixed with some optimism. I personally look forward to working with computer science once I am done with my education. However, I've also had a few jobs that some would find horribly boring or meaningless.
The first, least meaningless was as a substitute teacher (mostly for kids 6-10 years old but also 10-16). Here, I found meaning in knowing that I can make a difference in how a given child learns, whether it is about social situations or in academic regards. Not to mention, the joy that children can bring is meaningful, even though it is also weighed down to balance from the times they are sad, angry, etc.
Second, working as a stage builder before/after a concert (specifically for Metallica, Miley Cyrus and some theater, only had two job opportunities with them). Pushing carts around filled with heavy parts that will eventually be built into a stage may also seem very boring and somewhat meaningless. I would find meaning in knowing that I am a small part of a huge operation and without all of the small pieces, the operation wouldn't be working. So essentially, without all of us there would be no concerts. In that, I learned respect for all professions, as I had never even given a thought to that there were people working THAT hard just to prepare a stage.
The third and most recent job that I had, which I found to be the most tiresome and boring was in metal production. I was doing one of two things, all the time. I was either packaging metal pieces in cardboard boxes all day, or I was putting the metal pieces under a machine, pressed a button and let it go into the "finished" boxes. I sometimes had huge trouble finding meaning in this work, because of how monotonous and lacking of social interaction it was. What did help was seeing the people around me, who had worked there for 5-20 years. They had been doing it EVERY (week)day for that long time, 10 hours a day! I felt that if they could do it, so should I be able to. What puts me above them? Nothing, mutual respect is necessary. Here, I also felt that I was one of the smallest moving parts in the big industry of metal being sold and used (particularly for electronics in this case) and realized that much of our society wouldn't function without people doing this type of work.
Mutual for all of these jobs was that I had to view myself equal to everyone else and not put myself to an arrogant pedestal. That way, I know that the work has to be done and if I do it, someone else will be less loaded with work, at least to some degree. So remember if you ever feel like you're in a shitty spot, it could be worse and you are definitely not alone. That being said, you should always seek to find something that you love to do to the point where it doesn't feel like a job. "Plork" (play+work) as my philosophy teacher used to say. Hopefully this wall of text can help someone find meaningfulness in their job or task that they have to/want to perform for whatever reason.
Your post really resonated with me; don't doubt yourself, seriously. I don't come across many comments like these, but I'm really glad I did!
soulblast10
Thank you, it makes me happy to know someone shares my thoughts around this.
I fantasize with the abolition of work, as Bob Black described in his homonym essay.
Someone once said, "Love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life."
But there is a catch . . .
This video is really a eyeopener! Thank you for sharing your insights and wisdom regarding what matters about work! I hope I could find one someday a meaningful job I can be proud of... I'm just kinda confuse on what I really want. Well its quite hard to find a fulfilling and meaningful job especially if your living in a third world country.
I loved the video. Thanks for sharing knowledge and thoughts. Cheers from Nicaragua!
"...which is a pity not only for individuals but for economics as a whole" totally true! If only Alain de Botton is the PM / president!!! I'll totally vote for him.
All work is meaningful.
best channel yet
it should have been called why and not how to find meaningful work. I need practical advice :(
Stop consuming crap that we don't need so more meaningful work opportunities will occur :)
What did you want to do as a kid?
He made another video that's more practical called "how to find meaningful work"
"Most of us have a dangerously loose hold on what really brings us satisfaction long term." It's funny how that's so, ain't it? You'd think it'd be easy for us to "know ourselves" and know what brings us fulfillment and satisfaction, yet it's surprisingly elusive, and we get bought off and caught up in running after amusement, diversion, and thrills. To be able to develop mindfulness and introspection, to try things out and discover our authentic self, is something that ought to be allowed for and mentored. Both in the world of work and in all other aspects of life. Imagine living amongst a bunch of fulfilled people... what a wonderful place that could be.
This is one the best videos of yours that I have seen !
Allan de Button, thx for your many videos and the team behind you. :D
Such a phenomenal video with relatable content. Thank you
I'm currently reading the pleasures and sorrows of work, highly recommended if you enjoyed this video.
This is one of your best videos.
the idea of working a meaningless job frightens the ever dying shit out of me, im so glad i love my job . . . jesus god did i fight for it though
thank you very much you brought up to major points that tick me off with the world at large 1 they force us into jobs that fit industries and/or companies that benefit the economy or are just a major company or businesses praying on unsure individuals to create profit for themselves and secondly our schools are to vague and abstract so busy teaching us all these small random things that they don't prepare us for the world at large including all the possibilities it may hold :P with pisses me off to no end.
My idea was that the problem with keep being motivated is that you supposed to find "the ONE " in this field yet again ...and it just does not exist, here either. You may decide that you stay fatefull or change for a new one every now and then.
What I wish to do is not needing to choose. I wish to work in vastly different fields preferably paralell than needing to be a new starter every five years or so. I think it would be even more healty. Working in an office sittin 9-5 each day for ten years than having to stand and/or lift stuff in a gardening shop for an other ten yesrs would criple you both in their own unique way.
But if you could do office work for a couple of days a week, phisical work for some other days, social work for yet an other day. You may end up realising you did not get so bored and tired and do not need to catch up with the one you missed out on the weekends so much. ....except maybe sleep :D
....it is a time management challenge though and would need lot more flexible employers or an entirely different system.
this right here!
Wish I found this channel around this time last year
That first requirement you mention (work needs to generate income) is only a consequence of the fact that we do not share natural wealth equally. When we charge appropriate fees to industries that put pollution or take natural resources, we will create an incentive to all industry to try to *reduce* environmental impacts. This will promote sustainability. We *must* do this to fulfill our responsibility to make a rational economic system that operates in alignment with the interests of the larger society.
("Appropriate fees" would be high enough to ensure that industries have sufficient incentive to reduce environmental impacts. "Sufficient incentive" results in industries trying hard enough to reduce those impacts. If random surveys show that most people think there is not too much of this or that pollution, not too-rapid depletion of this or that resource, then we will know that industries are trying hard enough and the associated fees are set at the right amount.)
Sharing fee proceeds among all the world's people would mean that no person would be threatened with poverty if they fail to find gainful employment. So, when (a monetary representation of) natural wealth is shared, people could look primarily for what activities would bring meaning to their lives, and secondarily they could look for what earning opportunities are available from among those activities.
Equal sharing of Natural Resources promotes Justice and Sustainability:
gaiabrain.blogspot.com/2011/06/golden-rule-and-public-property-rights.html
A sustainable and just civilization requires that we use our moral sense:
gaiabrain.blogspot.com/2008/12/sustainable-and-just-civilization.html
very inspiring and true to anyone ! I love that. Many thanks
Keep doing what you're doing! Fan from Singapore!
its good enough to find a job that satisfy basic needs and its not too much boring
This is a very interesting video, but if everyone everywhere found fully meaningful work, then many jobs would go unfilled, and most of society would probably collapse. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try, but on some level it is good that not all people find meaningful work.
School of Life, please, could you put information on your videos about the philosofers we could read if we want to go deep on the ideas of the video ?
Your videos are brilliant. Keep doing the good job.