A political post I made yesterday on Facebook suddenly, and kind of surprisingly to me, exploded into a debate between several friends that continues a day later. The specifics of the debate aren’t terribly interesting, however a short exchange between my friend, John, and I seemed quite worthy of posting.
John: Our society seems to place a fundamental value on “productive” citizens. I think thorough internalization of that value is nearly universal.
Nathan: That’s a totally interesting point. And one that people really ought to reflect on. What’s productive mean? Is it our main mission in life?
The conversation rolled on from there into other issues, but I remain fascinated by this issue of productivity. Probably because it ties in with a lot of the other questions I’ve been having as repeat visitors over the past few years.
When I hear people speak about a strong need to be productive, I often wonder what’s motivating it. Sometimes, I get the sense that they’re trying to produce or achieve something in the world to make up for a poor sense of self esteem. If only I get that promotion or finish that project, then maybe I won’t feel like such a loser. In other words, they basically think “I am only valuable in the world if I am doing X, Y, or Z.”
Other times, it’s fairly clear that productivity is tied to survival. The person is always running around, getting things done, because if they don’t, they think the boss will fire them, or their children won’t get fed and clothed, or a whole host of other things. Some of the fear driving this behavior is very real and accurate. However, odds are, some of the things they’re “getting done to survive” aren’t really needed.
I often wonder this: How much of our “need” to be productive is driven by external pressures that are more about making someone else rich and/or powerful, than about fulfilling some internal human desire?
If we structured our society differently, so that basic needs weren’t an issue the way they are now, how might productivity look different? Would we even be talking about such a thing?
Are you driven by a need to be “productive”? If so, what is behind that drive?
Photo Credit:
Dream More, Work Less by Jaime Fearer via Flickr Creative Commons. Some rights reserved.
I think our society is totally out of balance, and this is just one of the many results. Lise, I think your right that too often, the only time people allow some of this “being” experience to occur is when they’re completely exhausted and can’t do anything anyway. Or they’re sick. Notice how common stories are of people who did, did, did until their bodies gave out, and only then were they able to see the value of not doing, of not having to produce all the time.
It is also interesting that those who do do do, get diseases that make it so they can’t do and they have to have someone else do everything for them such as, strokes, heart attacks, cancer and alzheimer’s.
I agree with productivity being tied to self-estreem from both internal and external pressure. There is a value judgment placed on doing something even if it is just to look busy vs a different value judgment on not doing something. The latter being “lazy”. How often do you run into someone you haven’t seen for awhile or someone you just met and the first question is “What do you do?” Or “What have you been doing?” People get uncomfortable if your answer is, “When I’m not meditating, or sleeping I just hang around the house being.” People don’t know how to connect to that. That kind of behavior isn’t considered productive. The question “what do you do” is about work, an being productive. I have always found that odd because we are so much more. Even the question “How have you been?” Isn’t about just being, and is usually answered with a response about doing.
Hi Katelyn,
I like what you’ve written. I wonder how many people we meet every day simply don’t dare to say they prefer being to doing, simply because we have lost all language and feeling for the wonder of nothing to do. The only place people seem to experience this or allow their own children to experience it is only when exhaustion has been reached. Yet a study once revealed that children learn and wonder about moral reality only when nothing else is happening. When it’s quiet and sometimes even boring is when the bigger life questions arise… Perhaps we have lost all emotional and verbal language for this space because we spend so little time there. Spending time there would seem the only way to relearn it… which brings the dilemma full circle.
Hi Lise, I think that is part of it. People don’t have the language for it or the experience of being to reference. It is sad that space can only be allowed if you are sick or exhausted. I talk to so many people who say they feel guilty if they aren’t doing something and find it hard to allow themselves to just lay on their bed and breath.
” I am not sure that we need to nurture ‘love’ for one another so much as the love of doing together. This engagement is how each of us comes to develop, feel and understand our relationship and place in the world.”
Hi Lise, It’s interesting you say this because our talk at my meditation center had a very similar message. I also like that you used the word “meandering” in another sentence. Which goes against the grain of “having to get things done,” be “superior,” and competitive, often just to survive – especially in many workplaces. It also opens up a different way to be with time. Meandering together to create or simply do something (whether there’s a final product or not) is a place where time is shared, expansive, and dynamic, as opposed to isolating, static, and seen mostly as an enemy.
Hi Nathan,
I recently took a class on work dynamics. The point at heart was that life and each and every task before us brings uncertainty, and that this uncertainty is difficult to bear over and over again alone. We can best respond when we walk the uncertainty together and experience various failures and successes together. Yet this is almost never the case at work where competition sharpens all edges and does not invite meandering through together. I am not sure that we need to nurture ‘love’ for one another so much as the love of doing together. This engagement is how each of us comes to develop, feel and understand our relationship and place in the world. And we might discover there are thousands of ways of doing things. Productivity loses its meaning when we focus more on how something is achieved than on the achievement. And this is the crux… Right now it is only the outcome that counts – which sadly puts the lived experience aside, except for the rush of having won the race. Yours is a wonderful contribution towards undoing this monolithic way of seeing and being in the world. Thanks for writing it.
“I LOVE being busy and productive. I love building things. For me, it’s more about trying to do new things. Learning, being challenged (by myself usually), improving.”
I’m totally with you on this one Gil. I also love building and creating. Seems to me that the experience of building or creative productivity is totally different from that of the “look busy” or avoid yourself kind of productiveness.
Part of my post is about finding ways to nurture the “love” based productivity, while diminishing the impact or even need of the other kinds. I think it’s both an “inside job” – becoming more aware of motivation and drives – and also external (helping create communities/social structures that support and encourage the positive forms of productivity. That which makes us truly alive.
Wow …
I agree with Ross’s comments and your post Nathan. I have in my career to often heard managers say:
“Even if it’s slow in here, look busy!” … how ridiculous is that!
But, on the other hand, to answer your question … I LOVE being busy and productive. I love building things. For me, it’s more about trying to do new things. Learning, being challenged (by myself usually), improving.
I can ‘zen’ in my productive moments (especially gardening) because I am feeding an inner desire to accomplish something … for me … OR … for someone else I care about.
So much I could say here 🙂
Now … procrastination … there’s another one we could chat on for quite some time 😉
Gileeeeeeeee
Hi Ross,
I definitely think that hyper busyness is tied to avoiding self examination. Even after all these years of meditation and having a decently strong habit of self reflection, I still find myself going through periods when I’m doing X, Y, or Z just to cover over or stave off some fear around digging deeper into how I am and who I am at that time. It seems especially true when things are changing in my outer life, and I’m trying to hang on to what was, or to ignore the inner callings to slow down and pay closer attention – so that I can become more aligned with the new conditions.
Thanks for chiming in on this!
Nathan, I absolutely agree that our need to be productive is tied to our self-esteem, to our basic insecurity: I am what I do; therefore, I need to be successful in order to affirm my identity; ergo, I need to be productive in order to be successful. I wonder also – and I am sure this is related to your points – if our busy-ness is an unconscious strategy for avoiding self-examination; if we keep busy we will not have to face our fears, our anger, our emptiness. Thought-provoking post – thank you.