Is Your Work Worth It?

March 25, 2024
Philosopher Michaelson and organizational psychologist Tosti-Kharas debut with a pensive inquiry into the value of labor. Without arriving at definitive answers, the authors contemplate such questions as “what is work?” and “can your work have a higher purpose?” Examining the tenuous relationship between self-worth and wealth, the authors tell the story of a woman who fulfilled her ambition of becoming a partner at the accounting firm Arthur Andersen but eventually quit, finding the intense “pressure to perform” left her depressed and feeling like “my worth as a human was tied to what I produce.” An activity’s value sometimes bears little relation to how much pay one receives for it, the authors suggest, noting that Michaelson’s grandfather found purpose in practicing calligraphy as a hobby and that housework and childcare are often unpaid despite being essential to societal functioning. The authors’ decision to privilege questions over arguments leads to some meandering. For instance, the chapter asking “when—and how much—should you work” provides thoughtful overviews of the “financial independence, retire early” movement and successful four-day work week experiments alongside half-baked tangents about journalist Gail Sheehy’s book Passages and the musical Hamilton’s glorification of grind culture. Still, the ranging discussions raise some insightful points that will help readers think through work’s role in their life. It’s a useful companion for anyone reconsidering their career. Agent: Esmond Harmsworth, Aevitas Creative Management.