Guy Says Working 40 Hours A Week Is A “Part-Time Job”

There’s nothing to be proud of if you’re overworked, burned out, and barely hanging on by a thin thread. A part of our modern culture entails watching your coworkers get into humble-bragging matches about who works the most, as though being the one closest to exhaustion warrants a gold medal and universal praise. Working yourself to the bone doesn’t automatically lead to success if your efforts aren’t focused and genuine, I feel.

This is exactly the topic that people on Twitter and Reddit discussed after they spotted a comment by user Steven Dennis. He was bragging about how he worked 190 hours over 3 weeks and called anyone doing the standard 40-hour workweek as working “part-time.” Steven wrote that he laughs at people who feel tired after working just that. That’s why internet users decided to call him out. You can read what they had to say below.

Personally, I firmly believe that quality work, intense focus, and working smart (not hard) should be our priorities. The more efficient our work, the more time we have for spending time with family, leisure, and feeding the ducks at our local park. Less is more so to speak. However, I also value discipline and effort. If you have grand ambitions, found your calling, or have a side-hustle (or two!), you also need to be prepared to work more hours. Generally, over 40. But look at me here, going on and on! What matters most is what you think, dear Pandas. How many hours per week do you work and how many do you think we should all work? Let us know in the comments.

Twitter user Steven started up a heated discussion after bragging about how much he works and criticizing anyone working less

Image credits: stevend05427411

Others called him out for his arrogant comment

Image credits: sokkarockedya

Here’s what Steven said in response

Image credits: stevend05427411

Plenty of Twitter users thought that Steven was wrong to dedicate his entire life to work

Image credits: ausgooner_

Image credits: RBossly

Image credits: BSquaredTrading

Steven gave some more details about his job

Image credits: stevend05427411

People thought it was ridiculous to brag about working so much

Image credits: kilgoth

Image credits: rispew

Image credits: fnord27182

Image credits: Tenacious_king

Image credits: smolrice2

Image credits: burshy85

Image credits: b85escuatro

Image credits: ZombieJesus198

Image credits: CthuCoin

Image credits: stevend05427411

Image credits: retchsweeny

Image credits: apeonthemoon3

Image credits: ILUVAMC

Image credits: mattmcdaniel

Image credits: DuruyJackson

Image credits: yummy_crayon

Image credits: bonifay_l

Image credits: Badababa

Image credits: Kilik_0

Image credits: tweetingteach

Image credits: Aza82749031

Image credits: stevend05427411

Image credits: richer_frank

Some internet users suggested that Steven might be overworked, underpaid, or might even have a form of Stockholm Syndrome because he feels the need to defend the fact that he works so much for his company.

Others highlighted the fact that some people work themselves to the bone and are loyal to companies that could replace them at the snap of the fingers. They argue that it’s not worth sacrificing your health and the time you spend with your loved ones for the sake of those who won’t ever return your feelings of loyalty.

Hard work and endless hours at the office alone might not be enough to get ahead. Economic forces can make it more difficult to get ahead.

“We had the global financial crisis which led to many millennials who were employed being displaced. When the economy recovered, it changed structurally, and many quality jobs were lost,” Eddy Ng, the Smith Professor of Equity & Inclusion in Business at Queen’s University, told Bored Panda that the 2008 financial crisis created a new type of economy.

The crisis led to the emergence of precarious jobs, the gig/sharing economy, and the rise of digital labor. This, in turn, led to a rise in income and social inequality. This inequality was further deepened by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Professor Ng noted that some racialized groups fell into the poverty trap and, without the resources to access training and education, had a hard time getting out of it.

“Workers work more hours with lower pay in order to survive. That leaves little time to accumulate the necessary resources for skill upgrades or retooling for the new economy. This is the poverty trap I alluded to,” the professor said.