/r/antiwork
A subreddit for those who want to end work, are curious about ending work, want to get the most out of a work-free life, want more information on anti-work ideas and want personal help with their own jobs/work-related struggles.
The Mythology of Work by CrimethInc.
The Abolition of Work by Bob Black
On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber
In Praise of Idleness by Bertrand Russell
Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price
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/r/antiwork
I’m going to keep this as short as I can. I’m a 22 year old girl that’s been working my ass off since 2019. Eariler this year, I left my first job at a local grocery store to work for a small confectionery company. I thought it was a good idea. I mean, I would be working around sweets! But now, I am really regretting it. I reached out to my manager from my old job and I’m going to go talk to them this week about coming back to work a few days.
The thing is, the confectionery company isn’t horrible. But there are so many problems. More than my job at the grocery store. So much inconsistency, rules are constantly changing and I’m not even made aware of it. Also, i feel like my coworkers and managers are rude and very passive aggressive. It almost feels like they think I’m stupid. They constantly push me to do things that they know I’m not good at (I have severe social anxiety). They act like they care about my mental health and happiness but I’m sure that they don’t. I’m really just sick of it. No, I’m pissed. Oh, and to make things worse, my insurance is being cut next month and so are my hours because it will not longer be busy season. They are cutting my hours to two days a week. It’s a good thing I live with my parents because if I didn’t, I would be fucked.
I try so hard, I work as good as I can but it’s never enough. I’m constantly being talked down to or berated for small mistakes or for doing things they don’t like. Everyone has to wear the EXACT same uniform. You can’t have any fun with your uniform, no pins, can’t wear your hair in fun ways, nothing. I’m talked to like I’m a child. I may be to them, since I’m younger. But I’m not a child. I’m a fucking adult and I deserve respect.
I am calling out tomorrow because I really can’t take another day of work right now. I need some space and some time to recharge.
I’m starting to realize something. Most of these jobs don’t give a shit about you. They treat you like trash, like a slave. Just another cog in the machine. It’s depressing. It’s demeaning. I feel like my time is being wasted when I could be doing things that actually make me happy. I just wish that the world did not work this way. This system is so fucked up. I’m planning on going back to college because I want to get some form of a career going. At least then, I will actually enjoy the work that I am doing.
I’m going to end this with two quotes from a really old movie called Network because it really resonated with me. I’m sure you have all heard them before but they really spoke to me tonight.
“I’m a human being, goddammit! My life has value!”
“I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
I feel blessed to be where I am now but also I know I worked incredibly hard for it so there's a bit of "I deserve this life I built for myself". When younger entrepreneurs ask me 'advice' my word usually is "just work until you make it" is it incomplete without luck being a factor?
My own life has really been a series of lucky events I tried my chances in. I've also heard people say you can't control luck but can't you? Get to know, work with and just network with the right people. Put yourself in places where the opportunities you want exist (example, if you wanna be a star go to LA) and it'll sure take some time but there's no way nothing ever comes to you. And when something even 0.1% of what you actually want comes your way accept it and make the best of it, it might just help you get closer to what you want.
In light of the actions taken against the United Healthcare CEO, we realize the time is now to completely reform the way healthcare payments are handled.
There is now only one way to go about forcing change peacefully without further violence - All healthy individuals must stop paying for health insurance.
Health insurance companies and their share holders depend entirely on the subscription payments of those who seldomly reach their deductibles. By taking away the healthy from the money pool, these health insurance companies will blead dry very quickly, encouraging the business owners to seek profit elsewhere.
When all health insurance companies go out of business while demand for healthcare is high, our government will be given no choice but to enact a single-payer healthcare plan.
Are you willing to sacrifice your financial well-being in case of a medical emergency? We can tailor a better future for ourselves and others, but not if we don't unite in this decision to take money away from those that are actively trading our very lives for their own selfish gain.
Has anyone been seeing this message a lot when clicking their notifications? I understand that they delete some violence-supporting comments related to recent news, but it seems they are being rather aggressive about it. Entire threads gone when AFAIK nobody even said anything particularly hostile.
Repeat it and repeat it and repeat it until they can’t ignore it any more.
To start of with I don't need to work. Only reason why I got a job was because I wanted to keep my mind off the miscarriage. Now I'm pregnant and started a job. I've been employed for 4 months. Because of pregnancy I feel physically dreaded I feel slow and forgetful. I commute 10 hours for work. I've noticed overtime my colleges have been taking responsibilities away from me. They sat me down and told me they rather address the issue before It goes up to management. They had a list of issues they had with me and had stacks of paper of my emails. Their wasn't anything wrong with the email. They just want me to use their last names and go straight to answering their questions instead of saying I hope your doing well. One of my colleagues told me my writing reminded her of her 5th graders. They told me they noticed that I've been off for the past few weeks and I agreed cause duh I'm pregnant. Anyways they told me they think I lack experience, I'm not upholding their company standards, and they said we are not trying to say your stupid but when we give you instructions sometimes you interprete a certain way. Like no. Sometime their instructions dont make sense and arn't clear. Also when I'm addressing ppl I do get the information needed but I'm not going by their script word by word. They have a problem with it. One of the ladies said this is not a mean confrontation just a conversation right? And then looked at me. That rubbed me off the wrong way. They did say I'm helpful which is nice but. I feel stressed, micromanaged, my task and responsibilities have been reduced, I feel bored and can't grow. Before I got the job they gave me an impression that their was a lot of drama and told me three ppl left my positions cause they didnt like it. I was thinking of leaving anyways when I have the baby but should I do it sooner?
For the past 8 months I’ve been working for a terrible employer. At first they seemed cool, but gradually (very quickly) it got worse. I should have seen the red flags there when they were mentioning that we’re a big family and we’re all so flexible. I’ll just list the points that we’re making my life hell:
My manager smokes in the office (it’s super illegal where I live).
They always talk bad behind other employees backs about them.
I have been promised a work phone but still using mine for work purposes with no compensation.
I had to go to emergency room, they refused to accept the note from there and took it off my holidays (they said I needed to arrange a note from my GP). Which is illegal where I am from.
Last week the manager said that it would be more convenient if women would have their breasts on their backs so it would be easier to hug them.
The work from home policy suddenly was changed when I was sick and would have been perfectly able to work from home. So I had to take the sick leave that reduced my pay. Not illegal, but it would have been nice to know beforehand.
They are making racist comments, the flexibility only applies to them. There are more things, but it’s been a hell. I have found a new job though.
So on Monday I’m giving them my notice, on one hand I want to list all the reasons why I’m leaving and copy in the head office as well. On other - it’s not going to change anything. And the world is small, I wouldn’t want it get back to me in future.
Boss: "We need you to quote how much effort this job will be"
Me: "OK, how big is it?"
B: "Three times as big as any other job we've ever done"
M: "OK, so it'll be three times the price of the biggest job we've ever done"
B: "But that's too expensive. Can we make it cheaper?"
M: "Sure, there are probably some economies of scale, but it depends on the files we receive. What sort of files are they?"
B: "Here is an example of one"
M: "Great, this is fantastic. Are they all like this?"
B: "We don't know"
M: "OK, how many files are there?"
B: "We don't know"
M: "OK. so you want me to quote a competitive price on a job way bigger than anything anyone has ever done based on an unknown number of files in what we assume is a standard format"
B: "Yes. Just give me the time it will take you to do it and I'll put a margin on it rather than using the normal quoting method"
...
...
M: "OK I have spent 4 hours looking at this. I think, 1000 hours."
B: "Could it be done in less time?"
M: "It depends on how many files we get. We could end up with between 150 to 500 files. So the job could be between 600 to 2000 hours. IF the files we receive are all the same format as the one we have AND there are between 150 to 500 of them."
B: "So you can do it in 600 hours?"
I work in a hospital as a nursing assistant. I started working there during covid. I don't have any formal education in healthcare.
During me time there I naturally learned quite a lot, but despite working as a nursing assistant, on paper I'm not a nursing assistant, but what they call department assistant. I've been having trouble with the hospital about this ever since I started working there. I've fought hard for my desired position, but despite several commitments, some on paper, but mostly verbal agreements many things formally never changed.
Aside from the financial repercussions which I don't really care about, they have been reorganizing who's responsible for which tasks which used to belong to the department assistants which are no more. This has been like this for a few months now, but I have been doing my job as a nursing assistant without issues despite my formal position as department assistant which basically doesn't exist anymore. Because of this discrepancy I've been requesting management to fix it, but of course there has been a chance of management too.
Now with my former manager I've come to several agreements of what I can and can do and under which circumstances. Though a lot of this have been agreed to verbally I have some of this on paper too.
Last week I finally got to talk with management about this discrepancy to get it fixed or so I thought. They were not aware of any of the agreements I've reached with my former manager and said that because I had not been formally educated the fact that I've been working as a nursing assistant with increasingly more responsibilities, I should have been accounted for during the reorganization of the role I formally still work in despite having an agreement in writing this is not the case. When I informed them of the former agreements with my former manager they simply did not care. They didn't even want to see it.
I'm unsure of what to do now, but for now they haven't been giving me new shifts since management (including semi-upper management) have become aware of this. I've been working at the same departement for two years now and this never happened before. They even threatened to do this. I do like working there and generally the colleagues I actually work with are quite happy with me as I simply make their job easier.
Next Monday I have an appointment with the same people from last week and I sent them a few of the things I've got on paper even though they weren't interested or maybe purposely reluctant to see it. I hope they see they've got an administrative problem rather than a problem with me, but I just can't understand why when people turn out to be this poorly informed they don't simply request the relevant information that is offered. I'm sick of having to constantly have to deal with this.
I'm pretty sure if I take this to court my employer would get slapped on the wrist. Hard. But if I were to take this to court they would probably have to pay me a significant sum of money and the employment contract would be terminated anyway. Anyway, I just wanted to vent as this is just so frustrating.
I just got an offer letter for a position from a startup I applied for, but on one of the pages, it uses "intern" instead of "architectural designer" which is the role that I applied for. I have a lot of bad experiences from employers gaming the system to take advantage of me, so I am always in CYA mode. So, when I see this, I just see it as another attempt to screw me over.
First thing that came to mind, is this startup trying to use tricky language, in the event they have to terminate me, they can use these specific terms of the contract, to say, deny me unemployment if I get fired? Or fire me after my probationary period is over?
I asked the employer if this was a permanent position, and they said yes via email. So, I have documentation of him stating that this is not an temporary "internship" role, but he did not update the contract on his end and send me a new one.
Would it be ethical if I just remove intern from the contract, print out the contract, sign it, and send it back?
Every day there's at least one of these "influencer" douches waxing poetic about what kind of special creep they are.
Why does this tool deserve special mention? Read his post friends. Did you know, you're a giant walking red flag if you aren't on call for them 24/7, or worse--dare to ask what the working hours are.
The sociopaths are sure emboldened in this economy.
And I have but one fervent wish--that you all converge on this "expert" with your collective wisdom.
Thanks all, you're the best.
I left a job at the beginning of the month for a new job. My old job shorted me on my paycheck over 500 dollars. As someone who works paycheck to paycheck this is a problem. The business manager emailed me on my third to last day for the reason as to why my paycheck would be lower because of annualization. I understand that I’m not working the full year, My job went from July-June with their annualization schedule, but 500 dollars is a huge difference and I honestly don’t trust the numbers. I also have not received my last paystub in the mail yet (payday was Friday) and which they SHOULD be giving me and if I don’t receive it this I’m contacted my old boss that I want it. I don’t know the laws and idk if reporting them to the department of labor is even worth it but everything about this is unethical and feels like it’s their way of punishing me for leaving. Sorry that I found a job closer to home. The reason I left was because I found a job that is 10 minutes away from where I live, my old job was 35 minutes away. I did what was right for me and them sorting my pay is completely unjust and I’m tired of employers treating their employees like fucking numbers. Can employers really do this because of annualization? Why can’t they just pay me what I normally make. I worked these last 3 weeks after I put my resignation in and I believe I should be paid what I normally made for those 3 weeks. If I would have known they would have done this to me honestly I would have just left without a notice because what the fuck if you wanna treat me dirty I’ll treat you dirty back. I was professional and put a notice in yet they did this shit to me. Maybe I’m just salty about the reality of how the shitty we are treated as employees but I’m sick and tired of it and I want to stand up for myself even if it doesn’t make a difference.
but r centerleftpolitics is neoliberal. Stay away.
While I am using this post to vent, I would love any advice, insights, or thoughts from anyone who can relate or understands where I am coming from.
I (20F) work as a financial service rep. for a local credit union in my state. Most of my day consists of processing loans and opening new accounts with occasional support for fraud. For context, I am also a college student (not studying anything related to banking) and I have been working this job full-time and attending school full-time. While my heavy workload is definitely causing stress, most of the damage to my mental health comes from daily encounters at my job.
We all know it is a horrible time financially for people, but I simply could never have imagined the sheer amount of financial stress the majority of people are in. On a daily basis, I am trying to help people who are so far in debt that they can't afford to eat. People come to me daily to beg me for help showing me their eviction notices or to tell me that they got laid off from their jobs. People getting paid SSI for disability have to file for bankruptcy because they don't get paid enough to eat and pay rent. Elderly people have no retirement and can't find anyone who will employ them. Parents have to make their children work to provide for their families. I know that many people like to argue that this is due to people making poor financial decisions, but that is not the case with the majority of the people I see.
I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen a credit score above 700. I would have to have tens of hands to count the times I have seen credit scores below 600. I am constantly having to tell people that their loans to pay off medical bills or to simply afford groceries for the month have been denied. I have to tell people that their car is one more late payment away from being repossessed. I have to tell people that the retirement check they pulled early to stop themselves from being evicted has to go on hold for 6 business days and there is nothing we can do.
Each time I have to break terrible news, or tell someone I can't help them afford their next meal for them and their kids destroys me. I feel like a terrible person, and I know it is not my fault, but I am left with no choice but to feel that it is. I have become a face for everyone's trauma and many people are quick to acknowledge me as such. I have had to sit through people screaming at me and throwing things at me, and it was not my choice and never would be my choice to make things harder for them.
The policies of the credit union I work for are horrifying to me. The amount of hidden fees is insane. The credit union does little to prevent fraud and when fraud happens, they rarely recover funds. People get denied accounts or loans for the most absurd reasons. Checks get put on hold, even if we can verify them. I have no power to change these policies and my job has been threatened when I have tried. I feel selfish for staying in this job, but I can't afford to live without it. I am only paid $17 an hour (low in my state and imo very low for my level of responsibility). I have been fucked over by the company multiple times, but I have no choice but to stay.
I don't know how much longer I can handle being the face of my credit union's terrible policies and the worsening financial crisis. Each time I am berated at work, I can't stop myself from crying or having a panic attack. I feel so weak, and I just feel like the scum of the earth. I have so much empathy for people, and I wish they knew how much I understand them and their situation. I never judge a person based on their circumstances. Most of the time, I bend policies or bend the truth to advocate for people as best as I can.
My job has sent me into a constant state of unmanageable depression and anxiety. I can't stop thinking about the lives I have hurt and ruined because of my job.
Why do I feel like I only allow myself to be happy and enjoy living on my days off? I’m looking forward to a lunch break in a little bit but I caught myself wondering if I should just sit in my car and stay sad about having to work so much, as if the yummy burger I want to eat will throw off my autopilotted sadness of being at work and I should just wait till my next day off to enjoy a good burger, and have a gas station snack for lunch instead.
Yes, my lunch break and meal is the highlight of a work day for me.
(Retail)
This video compilation spoke to my soul.
As someone who's been in a toxic workplace situation for many years, I have realized that my mental health struggles will never improve if I stay stuck in this loop.
2 therapist, a psychiatrist, and everyone who understands my current situation is telling me to get out. My empathy/sympathy is what makes it so damn hard for me to just quit.
Can we just start planning rallies and make a movement? I feel like we’re all just waiting for a pin to drop but also feel like that pin dropped.
Let them eat cake.
Class is defined by your relation to the means of production. Maybe your parents were working class. Maybe you used to be working class. Maybe you identify with the working class. None of that changes which class you actually belong to, how you really relate to the means of production at your company, and for every single CEO I'm aware of, they have part ownership in the company even if it's just a large stock package. But even if we imagine a CEO with no direct ownership or stocks, how the company performs directly contributes to this person's compensation in ways that actual members of the working class don't get to enjoy. You're telling me that if Company A multiplies profits by 10x, both the CEO and the average workers are going to see the same level of compensation increase? We have the data to know that's just not historically true. Real wage earners have to compete to raise their wages and salaries and they raise much more slowly that executive salaries.
Don't be fooled by this distortion of class as a social concept. It benefits the elites to pretend class doesn't really exist.