European Tribune

Display:
The thing is, whereas that might be true of some stable, long term jobs, even "paid employment" as a source of socialisation is being destroyed. Precarity means moving from job to job, never really staying somewhere for a very long time ; it makes it hard to invest oneself in social relations there. Iterim workers are often shunned by those with more permanent employment.

Also, the way the work environment is now more and more designed, with competition between workers, makes friends at work an harder thing to establish.

And our societies are of course weaning people out of the techniques for social linking out of employment. Only when people are forced together, such as in schools or companies, they can form social bonds ; unlike in nearly all others society where one knew lot of people in the community... Individualism means not knowing one's neighbours.

The concept that socialisation has to be linked to a business relationships is a great victory for business relationships, not for socialisation...

Also, the insistence that everyone should have jobs, on what are essentially the employers' terms, give those great powers. For example, they can refuse to let people find other balances between work and the rest of time available. Which is one of the main reasons there are so many jobless...

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Thu Dec 6th, 2007 at 07:37:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]
The concept that socialisation has to be linked to a business relationships is a great victory for business relationships, not for socialisation...

Yup. Sig line?

When locusts move on, they leave nothing behind

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Dec 6th, 2007 at 11:57:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Since reading this book one year ago about the way work was valued and considered over time, I've been meaning to diary about it. Procrastination has impeded me, though.

The book, Le travail, une valeur en voie de disparition, describes the evolution of philosophical and moral approaches to work over time. How it was disregarded by the greeks, etc...

The three important aspects of work being alienation because of its forced, repetitive aspects ; personal development through the necessity of acting on reality ; and involvement in the social world through the collective aspects of employment. Although well managed companies try to develop and make the latter two aspects of work seem important to induce qualified worker retention, it is hard to hide they only want labour, not people, and thus I feel the first aspect is still the most striking...

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Dec 7th, 2007 at 06:17:07 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Linca,
Do you know if it's available in English? I looked at Amazon, but couldn't figure it out.
Would like to read it.


"There is mysterious music in democracy, when people decide to believe in themselves." ---Bill Greider, The Nation.
by geezer in Paris (risico at wanadoo(flypoop)fr) on Fri Dec 7th, 2007 at 08:22:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]
It's available in Spanish possibly...

It also seems she has written an English language, journal article version, but it's not free access (maybe ManFromMidleTown would have access? why can social scientists learn about Arxiv?). Maybe you can obtain it from her...

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Dec 7th, 2007 at 08:52:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Display:
Login
. Make a new account
. Reset password
Recent Diaries
Debates
Campaigns
Occasional Series