I have been pretty busy recently. That amazes me a little since I have never been a workaholic nor possess strong work ethic. I would rather lie in bed and read something interesting (or lie in bed and do nothing? Is that acceptable?). But it feels kinda good, u know? Out of so many times that work feels draining, why does it, sometimes, feel good? Okay, it’s not as trivial as it sounds, deserving a mini-essay in this corner 😈
The essence of work is that it’s “a well-defined goal with well-defined expectations”. Suddenly, you wake up and instead of musing about the world/ the universe/ your sad life, now you have that well-defined tiny tiny goal. Your consciousness is suddenly narrowed, your energy harnessed to achieve that particular task. A sense of momentum lingers in the air. To top it off, think “today I, together with billions of people on this globe, are helping each other”. Or increase GDP of a nation, for that matter. Helping each other is important for sure, and increasing GDP is not bad (considering that many social problems stem from poverty, yet also vice versa). Talking about GDP, Vietnam is so dependent on FDI, but hey, better think about something else….
Another essence of work lies in its arbitrariness. You are not that talented and by being so – you are just 1 in a million choice of workers that the employer can choose. The combination of “focus” and “arbitrariness” creates a strange hybrid of freedom. You are needed, but not that much. A weird form of attachment and detachment that is healthy for your mind. It’s not a lover that will break your heart when he leaves, but not a stranger in a crowd that has nothing with you either. You know- like a reliable, good friend. A healthy entanglement. A predictable hybrid.
A little corner 