We All Hated Busy Work. Now That It's Disappearing, It Turns Out We Miss It

https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/we-all-hated-busy-work-now-that-its-disappearing-it-turns-out-we-miss-it-d56bb48b

Comments

from_memorySep 26, 2026, 2:59 AM
I don't miss the tedium. I miss the predictability, the normalcy. There is so much volatility now, and it's a little frightening.
proc0Sep 26, 2026, 4:13 AM
Not really. It's the new expectation of higher productivity decoupled from a proportional raise in wages that is the worst part of the AI revolution. If we didn't live in a corporatocracy we would see either everyone working less or getting paid more in proportion to productivity increase.
milesvpSep 26, 2026, 7:16 PM
The turning point against pro corporatism for me after years of schooling in economics happened a few years ago from a simple argument that I can’t get out of my head.

Technological advancements in an owner controlled factory leads to fewer employees. The same advancement in a coop leads to more leisure.

I know it’s super simplistic, and ignores pluses and minuses on both sides, but it really seems to sum up a fundamental problem with increasing efficiencies in society, and I can’t help but wonder if we are failing to capture the leisure that society has made possible.

proc0Sep 26, 2026, 11:36 PM
Right, the main problem is relentless competition. I get we need some of that, but do we have to sprint full speed into some dystopia? Not so sure there. Coops don't make it because I guess they can't compete as well as one boss making all decisions, and so we get more and more products faster, except quality of life just keeps going down (not in a material sense, but in a well being sense).
talon8635Sep 26, 2026, 2:56 PM
I think you are missing the point, which is that workers lose their skills.

It’s the “no new senior engineers problem”. Seniors are still needed, but if juniors don’t gain the real experience to develop the skills and intuition, they won’t develop professionally into higher skilled seniors.

proc0Sep 26, 2026, 4:04 PM
I see, yeah the article is gated. I think my comment is still relevant. Taking away the repetitive and menial tasks is great. What's not great is how companies in general use this increase in productivity, which includes slashing junior roles. They really don't have to do that. They can keep the junior roles and just have them learn. So it's the same problem from a different perspective.
talon8635Sep 26, 2026, 12:48 AM
Restructurings and AI are making entry-level work more efficient. But managers realize a lot is lost when people don’t get practice.
allearsSep 26, 2026, 1:05 AM
We miss the salary too.
black_13Sep 26, 2026, 3:24 AM
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