Why work for eight hours a day ?

Discussion in 'Science & Society' started by plakhapate, Apr 3, 2005.

  1. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

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    Well, if you're going to cut the work time in half, why not just go all out and cut it completely? I mean, what the hell's the difference? ...you're dreaming anyway, go for the whole hog!

    Baron Max
     
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  3. kazakhan Registered Abuser Registered Senior Member

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    Hell of a difference between 0 & 20

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  5. Clockwood You Forgot Poland Registered Senior Member

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    Not when both lead to starvation.
     
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  7. kazakhan Registered Abuser Registered Senior Member

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    What a load of shit, I haven't worked more than 20 hours or so a week for 3-4 years and I'm not hungry. Too many people live beyond their means...
     
  8. MrManganese Registered Member

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    lol.. Clockwood, you really are George Bush aren't you?
     
  9. spuriousmonkey Banned Banned

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    There are many people that work just 20 hours a week and are quite happy with it. It is a matter of what you find more important; to have 3 cars (but you only really drive on of them, and that is from your home to your workplace), or enjoy life and have some spare time to do so.

    There are also couples who both work parttime. So both have a decent income and lots of spare time.
     
  10. CharonZ Registered Senior Member

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    And then there is work that only can be done if you work more (for the same pay). The usual postdoc for example has to work 50h/week or more to get his stuff running (getting a fixed pay, though)...
     
  11. Xerxes asdfghjkl Valued Senior Member

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    I'm surprised nobody mentioned this:
    http://www.zpub.com/notes/idle.html


    Basically, I agree. People in North America tend to spend too much time at jobs they hate. The result is poor health.

    Scaling health insurance to health condition at a given window in time, like clockwood suggests, isn't going to create a stronger country with healthier people. A person who respects their pocketbook more than their health is a bad reflection on the health of society. Its crumbling I tell ya.
     
  12. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

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    I'll bet that Bill Gates doesn't have to work ANY hours a week, but that don't mean shit to the rest of us, does it? No, of course not!!

    People work to earn money so they can have and do the things they want ...there are few other reason to work.

    But to just say, "Let's work only 20hrs/per instead of 40" is just being an fuckin' idiot!! It's one of those things that I call pipe-dreams or flights of fantasy ....it's all good in fiction and such, but real-life always comes in a causes problems.

    Baron Max
     
  13. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

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    Then they should just quit, right? I mean, what else would you suggest? ...government subsidies or something like that? Please tell me!

    Baron Max
     
  14. Xerxes asdfghjkl Valued Senior Member

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    Uhh..there has to be a cultural change.. its not a fast-food overnight sort of thing
     
  15. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

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    Well, it's already underway then and we shouldn't even be talking about it! A hundred years ago, people worked a lot more hours than now ....not to mention that once they worked for their wages, they worked in their own gardens and farms to raise much of their own food.

    So .....what the hell are we talking about this for? It's already happening and we should all be happy as little pigs in the mud on a hot Texas day, huh?

    Baron Max
     
  16. river-wind Valued Senior Member

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    because sometimes it's a good idea to help direct such changes. Things like discussion, detailed planning, and more discussion are a good thing.

    You think we have a national 40 hour work week because it magically appeared one day?

    Hunter/Gatherer societies work an average 15-20 hours a week. The downside is that they have much more volitile food sourcees, limited division of labor (and therefor lower quality goods in many case; namely housing).
    We have traded our free time for better housing, running water, and medical care.
    How much are those benefits worth to you? I'd say slightly less than 10 more hours per week. Not an additional 25, though, as the average American work-week suggests.
    So I put forth that we work out a 30 hour work-week plan for the US, and remember how to share in this country (instead of everyone having their own TV's, their own PS2's their own cars, etc,etc,etc,etc,etc...).

    Currently, I work two jobs, and own a side buisness. I also volunteer my time weekly, and I tend to have a 60 hour work week. I do, however, have flexable work hours for my full-time position, so my schedule is maintainable (I don't have to wake up at 5AM everyday

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  17. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

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    (river-wind): "Currently, I work two jobs, and own a side buisness."

    Well, soon you might not be ABLE to do that. If we cut the workweek down, we'll have to limit people like you from taking all the jobs! ...and leaving all the rest of us with only What-A-Burger or Burger King jobs. And that wouldn't be very nice of you, would it?

    Oh, and I work three jobs and have two businesses on the side, plus volunteer for service with the local hospitals and the VA recovery units in town, plus I give 90% of my income to the needy. Oh, almost forgot, I also adopt unwanted dogs in the area and currently have 4,326 dogs that I feed and water every day plus play with them for exercise. Neat, huh?

    Baron Max
     
  18. JohnGalt Registered Senior Member

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    We work for 8 hours a day because that is how long an employer needs you there to effectively run his business. you also get paid more if you work longer(whether it is doctors where you can accept more calls as you work longer, or you get set hourly wages).

    One doesn't have to work the 8 hours a day. If one is not satisified with an employer insisting this, they don't have to remain there. They can go to a job(usually less paying) that requires less work hours. It is your choice to work and make money or to work less and make less(unless you are in a position that your company is running itself and you can make profits

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    ). If you wish to work longer, you can also work longer, and be paid more. Also, the more you work, the better the chance of you moving up, and the less hours of work you will have to do(unless you are an amazing boss/whatnot that can work more hours). To pass laws making this less would devestate the average business. If the workers only work 7 hours, then the business can only be open 7 hours(whodathunkit?).
     
  19. Rk001 Registered Member

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    20 hours a week sounds good half the pay doesn’t
    Cost of living makes half the pay in possible for we need our stuff and
    Groceries health-care and all of the other stuff we consumed daily.
    And over yet all the fun stuff we like doing.
     
  20. kazakhan Registered Abuser Registered Senior Member

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    And to call someone a "fukin' idiot" because their opinion differs from yours is well, being a "fukin idiot"!!! Because Baron Max sees it as a pipe dream it must be so

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  21. Hapsburg Hellenistic polytheist Valued Senior Member

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    You wouldn't be saying that if you owned the business instead of working for it.
    It's all really about context.
     
  22. Voodoo Child Registered Senior Member

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    Is it half the pay? If you get a cut of the cash that goes to unemp. benefits it might be more.
     
  23. Neildo Gone Registered Senior Member

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    Well I only work 24-28 a week while getting paid for 32 due to busting my ass and finishing jobs sooner. I also get Wednesday off which is why it isn't 40 hours a week. I gotta say that I love it this way as that makes me only work 2 days at a time. No more do I have to work 5 days in a row and be like the average person wondering when the week will end or saying "thank god it's Friday" when it comes. Time flies and it winds up not even feeling like work since I work less hours a day and have a day off in the middle of the week.

    - N
     

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