055 - Do You Need Meaningful Work to Have a Good Life?

FAREWELL

In a 2021 Pew Research survey, only 17% of Americans mentioned their work as a source of meaning. But a 2023 poll, also from Pew Research, said 71% of Americans thought that having a job they enjoy was an important element of a fulfilling life. This creates a big disconnect. If we believe meaningful work is important to a good life, but we're struggling to find meaningful work, where does that leave us? Brad and Clay discuss the role work should play in life, what makes something "meaningful," whether or not it's important to find meaning in your work, and how to find it outside of your job.

"America's Crisis of Meaningless Work" by Molly Lipson (Business Insider):

https://www.businessinsider.com/american-employees-disengaged-work-meaningless-fake-email-jobs-2024-6

"What Makes for a Fulfilling Life" by Kim Parker and Rachel Minkin (Pew Research):

https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/09/14/what-makes-for-a-fulfilling-life/#:~:text=When%20asked%20what%20it%20takes,to%20live%20a%20fulfilling%20life.

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