Not doing justice to the job is imposed as a price for those who have the jobs which are thought to be "lovely, enjoyable" or which are thought to bring "prestige in society". It is even bringing much more workload for those who work in this field. An intern who works in a culture-art atelier for no money is thought to be better to the degree as to how much forms he inputs into the database. The public relations manager who is expected to head up in the office 10 years later has the workload of three people, the doctoral student prepares all the researches which are needed to be done by his teachers all by himself, the seller who is expected to get in good books is obliged to do all kinds of works from procurement to the receiving...

 

In recent days, a new analysis has been published in America which made a sensation in everyone. Miya Tokumits clears up the subject in his article on the news website named Slate; "Working according to this kind of thinking (doing what you love), is not something done for a certain wage or a provision but an act of love. If this action is not followed by profit, this means that the passion and determination of the worker is not enough. The real success of this approach is that it makes the workers believe that they do not serve the market but themselves. "Do what You Love" pushes us to beat our brains on the things we love to do and turn these into income-generating jobs as if it was a morale booster suggestion. But why do we have to enjoy our pleasures cherishing monetary interests?’

 

Another negative effect of the opinion "do what you love" is on the workers who have operational and routinized jobs which need to be carried out for the continuation of the system. Let's continue with Tokumitsu; "The story is different for those who are obliged to do what is not loved." Those who work with the belief "do what you love", unmotivated, and for other reasons other than loving, namely most of the workers, are ignored. Just like Steve Jobs said in his speech (he said we had to find what we loved in the speech), the jobs which are not loved but obligatory to do are slipped out of our minds.

 

The other day, I came across the housekeeper who was about to enter into my hotel room while I was trying to attain to something. He would not leave anywhere untouched in the room I had been living for a short time. While I was looking at his eyes, I wondered what he would say if I told him "do what you love". Or those who serve at the restaurant, wash the towels, do the ironing, bring the car, carry the suitcases, fill the mini-bars with products or the security guards who always stand... what do you think they would think if I told them "if you do what you love, you won't get tired"? That they could possibly reach the things they love and also make money and have the life they dream and that their current jobs are worthless. But in fact, all these things must be done in that hotel and must be done by someone. Just like all other jobs. 

 

Keynes predicted years ago that people would eventually have to work for only 3-4 hours thanks to the developed technology. But it did not work out like that. The working hours did not shorten and in fact they got longer. Many various work definitions derived. Corporations and organizations increased in size. 

Today, for the continuation of the works and the existence of the corporations, thousands of repetitive, routinized and operational jobs have to be done by someone. 

 

For the continuation of the corporation of the employer who make suggestions like "do what you love", a lot of routinized and boring jobs are done by people who are ignored. According to this thinking, if they are tired, they should find the jobs they love! If they can find the jobs they love, they should not complain about low wages, because after all, they will do what they love!

 

American writer and News Junkie Post editor Gilbert Mercier drew a parallel between our day and the Medieval Age in which the feudal system was dominant in his article published a few weeks ago. "When we compare it, the relationship of a serf today with his lord is similar to the relationship of any Wal-Mart worker with Walton family." As if this was not enough, we still have "elites" who exemplify the happiness of themselves or a small working group and who pontificate about how people can be happy.

 

 

 

The trap "you should find a job you love" in this game creates a significant injustice for the majority who work in operational and routinized jobs; making the current jobs worthless. The injustice shows itself with the order of exploitation for those who do what they love.

 

Those who work in jobs that are less loved should get what they reserve whether they love the job or not. Those who get what they deserve in terms of wages and social rights can be happy and spare time for themselves, their families and fields of interests whether they love the jobs they have or not.

 

Those who try to do what they love or who have the jobs which are thought to be "unlikable" don't need to learn how to be happy by living through a "lack of money"! The only thing needed is the creation of an equitable, fair work life…

 

 

"All the bad in the world begin with the thinking of somebody as he has the right to act for the happiness of another". Eric Hoffer

 

 

 

Fırat Devecioğlu

www.firatdevecioglu.com