The refusal of work

No cover — David Frayne: The refusal of work (2015)

270 pages

English language

Published Jan. 6, 2015

OCLC Number:: 905524524

"Paid work is absolutely central to the culture and politics of capitalist societies, yet today's work centered world is becoming increasingly hostile to the human need for autonomy, spontaneity and community. The grim reality of a society in which some are overworked, whilst others are condemned to intermittent work and unemployment, is progressively more difficult to tolerate. In this thought provoking book, David Frayne questions the central place of work in mainstream political visions of the future, laying bare the ways in which economic demands colonise our lives and priorities. Drawing on his original research into the lives of people who are actively resisting nine-to-five employment, Frayne asks what motivates these people to disconnect from work, whether or not their resistance is futile, and whether they might have the capaciity to inspire an alternative form of development, based on a reduction and social redistribution of work. A crucial dissection of …

"Paid work is absolutely central to the culture and politics of capitalist societies, yet today's work centered world is becoming increasingly hostile to the human need for autonomy, spontaneity and community. The grim reality of a society in which some are overworked, whilst others are condemned to intermittent work and unemployment, is progressively more difficult to tolerate. In this thought provoking book, David Frayne questions the central place of work in mainstream political visions of the future, laying bare the ways in which economic demands colonise our lives and priorities. Drawing on his original research into the lives of people who are actively resisting nine-to-five employment, Frayne asks what motivates these people to disconnect from work, whether or not their resistance is futile, and whether they might have the capaciity to inspire an alternative form of development, based on a reduction and social redistribution of work. A crucial dissection of the work-centred nature of modern society and emerging resistance to it, 'The Refusal of Work' is a bold call for a more humane and sustainable vision of social progress"--Page four of cover.

4 editions

Ben Waber reviewed Refusal of Work by David Frayne

An Intriguing Philosophical Treatise with Some Field Research

4 stars

Frayne has put together a thought provoking book that leans largely on philosophical analysis to argue against the centrality of work in human life. This is complemented with some insightful interviews with people who have taken a variety of approaches to refusing work in some way. He does fall into the common philosophical trap of quoting well known thinkers as if they're religious figures (pro tip: just because Marx wrote something doesn't make it true), and his global north focus makes the case even less compelling. Beyond that, he essentially ignores all history from before the industrial revolution, which is a huge mistake given how profoundly that changed economic life. Still, if you're interested in this topic it's a good book to grapple with.