The sad truth about work (it doesn't need to be like this) - by Andres Acevedo

Long hours, pointless tasks, and a nagging feeling that something's fundamentally wrong—this is the reality of work for millions. In The Sad Truth About Work, Andres Acevedo exposes the broken system behind it, offering a stark wake-up call about our relationship with labour. Even if one doesn’t agree with all his conclusions, the data he presents sparks a crucial conversation about the future of work and the need for change.

One of the central ideas is that we spend far too much of our lives working. Andres highlights that since the 1800s, productivity has skyrocketed, yet working hours haven’t decreased as they should have. This imbalance is striking: despite becoming better at producing, we haven’t gained more free time or improved our quality of life. As Andres aptly states:

“We spend a disproportionate amount of our lives working.”

Another key point is that “productivity gains haven’t benefitted the average worker.” The additional wealth generated from increased efficiency has primarily enriched the wealthy, leaving regular people to work harder just to keep up. This unequal distribution exacerbates the issue of long hours, creating a system where progress uplifts the few while burdening the many. The video’s powerful visual of wealth distribution drives home this inequality.

Andres also argues that “many jobs are becoming increasingly pointless.” He refers to these as “bullshit jobs”—roles that offer little societal value and leave workers feeling unfulfilled. Drawing from his own experience as a telemarketer, he illustrates the frustration and disconnection such jobs bring. Many service-sector roles, he points out, seem to exist solely to keep the system running, with little real purpose. This lack of meaning leads to widespread dissatisfaction, evident in the high percentage of disengaged and disillusioned workers.

Andres’s personal story makes the issue tangible, illustrating how low morale and meaningless work harm individuals. The example of Sweden’s forest industry underscores how technological advancements can lead to significant job losses, while the wealth distribution graphic highlights the growing disparity. Finally, statistics on worker engagement and productivity provide concrete evidence of the unhappiness pervasive in today’s workplace.

Here are the key takeaways from the video:

• Work dominates a significant portion of our lives, but it doesn’t have to. Advances in productivity offer a chance to rethink this balance.
• Productivity has surged in industries like Swedish forestry, where one worker now does the job of twenty from the 19th century.
• Earlier generations reaped the benefits of increased productivity with shorter work hours and better pay. In Sweden, for example, the workday was reduced from 12 to 8 hours, alongside the introduction of vacation time and Saturday breaks.
• Since the 1970s, however, this trend has stalled. While productivity has doubled, wages haven’t kept pace, and working hours remain unchanged.
• The extra wealth generated has largely gone to the richest 1%, who have captured nearly twice as much of the new wealth as the bottom 50% since the 1980s.
• Many jobs, particularly in the service sector, lack societal value. If these roles disappeared, society might be better off.
• This system prioritises the act of working over the meaning of work, leading to widespread disengagement. Only 1 in 5 employees feel engaged, with many emotionally detached or even hostile towards their employers. Office workers often spend significant time pretending to work, and studies show that many people’s health improves after retirement.
• Rapid advancements in AI and automation make current notions of work increasingly obsolete. Society must choose between creating pointless jobs to sustain the status quo or using technological gains to improve lives.

The video critiques politicians for focusing solely on job creation rather than leveraging productivity to reduce working hours and enhance well-being. As Andres notes, “Productivity gains outweigh increased life expectancy.”

He mentions that he draws on ideas from sociologist Roland Paulsen and recommends Rutger Bregman’s Utopia for Realists to further explore these concepts. I thought this important to include here since it is not unusual to skip the very last part of videos and such.

In short, The Sad Truth About Work offers a compelling critique of modern labour. By highlighting how productivity gains bypass most people, how many jobs lack meaning, and how work dominates our lives, it challenges us to rethink our relationship with work. It’s a call to harness technological progress to create a more balanced, fulfilling life—where work serves us, not the other way around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3YsBZljWOo