Work and the work ethic: a critique of postwork arguments

This chapter challenges the postwork critique of the work society and work ethic. The contention is that in responding to the problems posed by contemporary work we need to still insist on work's social centrality, not reject it. One error of the postwork stance is that, in its rejection of work's centrality, it targets an overly restricted notion and experience of work. A further problem is its failure to properly register the individual and social goods people can and do attain through work. This is compounded by a failure to realize that the movement towards a more free and just society in fact requires the endorsement of a work ethic, albeit one different from earlier forms and alive to the dangers of its being harnessed by regressive forces.