Doing meaningful work is part of the good life but, in today’s post-pandemic world, millions of Americans are neither working nor looking for work. In this episode, economist and author Nicholas Eberstadt examines what happened to the famed American work ethic and why so many people are checked out of the workforce, even as businesses everywhere seek help.

YOU WILL LEARN:

·     Why work is so important.

·     How a ‘flight from work’ affects the economy, culture and society.

·     What can be done to improve the situation. 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

“Men Without Work: Post-Pandemic Edition,” by Nicholas Eberstadt

S1E289, The Blessing of Work

“The Emigrant Edge,” by Brian Buffini

“Miracle,” movie

“Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy,” by Joseph Schumpeter

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:

“Work is a service to others that helps to complete you. It's part of our connection to our world. It's part of our connection to society, to family.” – Nicholas Eberstadt

“Leisure is when you use your free time to restore yourself or to uplift yourself. You can also use leisure in ways that's terribly destructive, that’s degrading.” – Nicholas Eberstadt

“We need entrepreneurs because we need to have the dynamic churn that provides the creative destruction, that puts all of the pieces and all of the ingredients in our economy to work in a more productive manner.” – Nicholas Eberstadt

“The most important thing is persistence. And it's being ready to get back up the 101st time after you've fallen down 100 times. That is the most important habit that successful people all share.” – Nicholas Eberstadt

“Part of the good life is good work.” – Brian Buffini

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