Good work: The importance of caring about making a social contribution

Jens Jørund Tyssedal

doi:10.1177/1470594X221148204

Good work: The importance of caring about making a social contribution

Jens Jørund Tyssedal

Department of Political Science

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

How can work be a genuine good in life? I argue that this requires overcoming a problem akin to that studied by Marx scholars as the problem of work, freedom and necessity: how can work be something we genuinely want to do, given that its content is not up to us, but is determined by necessity? I argue that the answer involves valuing contributing to the good of others, typically as valuing active pro-sociality – that is, valuing actively doing something good for others. This makes work better in one way, and may even make work something we are genuinely glad to have in our lives. Contemporary philosophical thinking about good work tends to focus on how work can be good for the person doing it, by providing, for example, self-realization or social relationships, while underappreciating the special importance of valuing social contribution. People will typically only really want work if they want a part of their lives to be about the good of others. This also means that work may be a part of the best life, something we should take into account when discussing work-related policies and the desirability of a ‘post-work’ future.

Translated title of the contribution	Godt arbejde: Betydningen av at ville yde et bidrag til andres vel
Original language	English
Journal	Politics, Philosophy & Economics
Volume	22
Issue	2
Pages (from-to)	177-196
Number of pages	20
ISSN	1470-594X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1470594X221148204
Publication status	Published - May 2023

Keywords

work
pro-sociality
social contribution
the good life
Marx
freedom
necessity

Access to Document

10.1177/1470594X221148204

5 Citations
1 Ph.D. thesis

Meaningful Work in Community: Essays on Good Work and Just Work
Tyssedal, J. J., Jun 2022, Aarhus: Forlaget Politica. 100 p. (Politicas ph.d.-serie ).
Research output: Book/anthology/dissertation/report › Ph.D. thesis

Open Access

2 Participation in or organisation of workshop, seminar or course

Practical Philosophy - Annual Workshop
Tyssedal, J. J. (Participant)
26 Nov 2021
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in or organisation of workshop, seminar or course
Nordic Network in Political Theory 2021
Tyssedal, J. J. (Participant)
4 Nov 2021 → 6 Nov 2021
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in or organisation of workshop, seminar or course

Cite this

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title = "Good work: The importance of caring about making a social contribution",

abstract = "How can work be a genuine good in life? I argue that this requires overcoming a problem akin to that studied by Marx scholars as the problem of work, freedom and necessity: how can work be something we genuinely want to do, given that its content is not up to us, but is determined by necessity? I argue that the answer involves valuing contributing to the good of others, typically as valuing active pro-sociality – that is, valuing actively doing something good for others. This makes work better in one way, and may even make work something we are genuinely glad to have in our lives. Contemporary philosophical thinking about good work tends to focus on how work can be good for the person doing it, by providing, for example, self-realization or social relationships, while underappreciating the special importance of valuing social contribution. People will typically only really want work if they want a part of their lives to be about the good of others. This also means that work may be a part of the best life, something we should take into account when discussing work-related policies and the desirability of a {\textquoteleft}post-work{\textquoteright} future.",

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Good work: The importance of caring about making a social contribution

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Meaningful Work in Community: Essays on Good Work and Just Work

Activities

Practical Philosophy - Annual Workshop

Nordic Network in Political Theory 2021

Cite this