“Anti-Work:” This Facebook Group Is Throwing Punches At Late Stage Capitalism, And Here Are 30 Of Its Best Posts
The subreddit r/Antiwork has gathered a lot of support over the last year, especially since the beginning of the Great Resignation. And even though not all of the attention was positive, the buzz has certainly helped to spread its message, and even take the movement to other platforms.
There's a Facebook group called Anti-Work. It's not connected to the subreddit, but shares a lot of the same values. The group's 'About' section says it welcomes "all things related to anti-work and late stage capitalism", and you can definitely see a wide variety of topics in its posts.
From specific things like burnout and student debt to broader discussions on salaries and personal finance, continue scrolling to check out the most popular ones.
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To learn more about the group, we contacted its administrators and moderators and they were kind enough to have a little chat with us.
"Fundamentally, the idea of Anti-Work is that people should choose to be productive on their own terms, not as a result of coercion or having their stability threatened," the team told Bored Panda.
"The underlying message of the Anti-Work philosophy is that the connection between survival and employment status or productivity levels must be eliminated."
"Our Facebook group is not affiliated with r/AntiWork," the people behind the group said.
While the subreddit is quite old (it was created in 2013), its Facebook spin-off is still fresh — it came about in October 2021 "as a result of needing to create a digital community tailored specifically for Facebook users."
"In our group, we have people from all backgrounds," the admins and mods said. "Writers, frontline nurses, school teachers, line cooks, truck drivers, forklift operators. To name just a few."
However, they pointed out that the Anti-Work group is explicitly anti-capitalist and supports the creation and expansion of unions and worker cooperatives, as well as believes in the need for workplace democracy.
“As a society, we have the ability to provide for humanity's needs, to give people a base layer of support and stability to encourage productivity without coercion," Maxwell Neely, the Anti-Work group admin and mod team's designated Press Liaison said.
This is the answer to employers that claim they "care about the employees mental health." They don't realize that crappy working conditions are part of the problem...or more likely they do and just don't give a flock.
The group is trying its best to remain civil. It condemns all discriminatory language and actions towards other people, including but not limited to racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, and ableism. Basically, if you want to shout at someone and insult them for disagreeing with you, this is not a place to do so.
However, as can be expected, sometimes trolls join to derail discussions, insult members, and generally be unpleasant. This forces the admin team to take action, but they say that most of the group members are "awesome people with valuable insights, and stories worth telling."
According to the admin and mod team, they aim to create a platform of inclusion and empowerment, and then pass the mic, so group members can tell their own stories in a supportive environment.
With nearly 25,000 members, they have a lot to manage. The group rules are designed to promote an environment of psychological safety, and are pretty similar to those of other mindful Facebook communities. "When in doubt, just remember, don't be a jerk," the folks concluded.
"Exit interview" my @rse. If I'm fired, I'm outta here. Please feel free to proceed without me.
Communities like this one seem like a natural response to the latest developments in the job market. Two years into the pandemic, people across the globe are tired. Poor mental health and burnout are common, particularly among low-wage and essential workers.
This prolonged period of uncertainty has made many re-analyze the role their employers play in making matters worse; record numbers of workers are leaving jobs in search of better options.
If that's how companies view their employees in the US, I think you guys need to remind these "bosses" about the reason behind your civil war and why your country fought the English for independence.
Too many people still feel that self-sacrifice is admirable or honourable. It's not, it's traumatizing and destructive.
'Unskilled jobs' (i.e. jobs that require no prior education) are still jobs that need to be done. Just because it doesn't require an education of four years to work at a waste company doesn't mean it's not REALLY important work.
“With Covid, there was an interruption of work as we knew it," Tom Juravitch, a professor of labor studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, US, told BBC.
"In moments like this, people have time to reflect. Working has been degraded for so many people. The authority structures that we’re in have gotten more draconian and more controlling than ever. People really felt that in a new way.”
They don't want you to discuss your wage... because they don't want you to find out you actually deserve more.
Fundamentally changing the way employers think sounds unlikely, but we are experiencing an unprecedented shake-up in terms of how workers do their jobs and the kinds of conditions they are expecting in return.
It's obvious that many people are at their breaking points, and there are already signs that companies who fear widescale quits are starting to respond with improvements. But if groups like Anti-Work continue to gain numbers, who's to say they can't take us even further?
I know a female worker that went from working directly to hospital for labour and returned to work after she left the hospital a few days later. She denied paid maternity leave. About 20 years later she cursed and screamed at a pregnant co-worker for wanting to stay at home a few weeks before labour. She told her how she has no worth for society if she doesn't work etc. I hated her so much after that.
Every speculative investment is a pyramid scheme. Capitalism is not, because it is based on producing actual stuff with an actual worth. Crypto is just a thing you buy to someone smarter than you because you hope you will be able to sell it for an even higher price to someone dumber than you.
They agreed only because it used to be way longer and unregulated hours before that. The 8 hours system is actually a fought victory. I agree, however, that it's time for further improvement and to shorten it up, but, I wouldn't want to give up part of my salary if that's what it would mean. Still, a solution is needed.
my 'lil car (a gift from a relative) dropped its CV axle (while I was driving) I was lucky that I had enough money for a cheap tow (networked through a mechanic friend). I need my car to get to work...the lovely gentleman who volunteers for an organisation that delivers left over bread families in the area noted that I was dressed for "work" (I had on overalls), I motioned to my car...and he said..."why are you fixing it yourself?"...I didn't have the heart to explain it all...right down to how I am scraping together the money for the parts...and am already factoring in the "late payment fees" I will be hit with later...robbing Peter to pay Paul...I still consider that we are doing "ok"...we have more than a lot of others...
There is labor shortage, like people just upped and vanished or something?
"We pay you the least amount we're legally allowed to pay you! SUCH AN HONOR TO WORK WITH US!"
Yeah nobody wants to work anymore!/s We all just want to frolic in fields of wild flowers and tickle puppies all day.
This is why I think the current economic model isn't sustainable. Eventually you run out of people who will work at that price unless you keep certain countries in poverty. And then there is the issue of fuel for logistics, that clearly isn't infinite.
No, it wasn't. Single income households were the exception by the mid 1980s. Thanks, Reagan.
Having a strong work ethic and willingness to do that work well isn't a failing. Not being paid what that work is worth is where the failure lies.
If there is no ethical consumption under capitalism, there is no such thing as theft. I, personally, won't steal from those poorer than me, but if you're richer than me - watch your bag.
Non, no! Carry that to it’s logical end. Billionaires would now be Gazillionaires.
My ancestor worked the fields during spring, summer and fall the entire day, every day, while caring for children, only to hope to live through the winter. Also she had no rights and was, by law, a babymaker that should obey instead of think. That doesn't sound too appealing either, to be honest.
The Simpsons analogy about Homer being able to buy a home on one salary, shows the low information, false deductions people make to push their agenda. Homer got the money from his father Abe to buy the house, by having his father sell his home. Then Abe was going to move in with them, but after a while was put into a nursing/assisted living home. THAT IS HOW HOMER AFFORDED HIS HOUSE
Yeah and no one in 1992 thought a one-income household was normal. Everyone knew that ended with the recession in the late '70's, followed by the Republicans' relentless campaign against the poor and middle class, which continues to this day.
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It’s good to see that people are questioning the pro-capitalist propaganda that everyone is brainwashed into worshipping.
My husband earns what should be decent money, but cost of living near his job is crushing is.
The Simpsons analogy about Homer being able to buy a home on one salary, shows the low information, false deductions people make to push their agenda. Homer got the money from his father Abe to buy the house, by having his father sell his home. Then Abe was going to move in with them, but after a while was put into a nursing/assisted living home. THAT IS HOW HOMER AFFORDED HIS HOUSE
Yeah and no one in 1992 thought a one-income household was normal. Everyone knew that ended with the recession in the late '70's, followed by the Republicans' relentless campaign against the poor and middle class, which continues to this day.
Load More Replies... It’s good to see that people are questioning the pro-capitalist propaganda that everyone is brainwashed into worshipping.
My husband earns what should be decent money, but cost of living near his job is crushing is.
