Thanks for this. There is a bit of tone deafness in this thread with everyone calling for fewer days of work so they can relax and then go to the cafe or linger over dinner while also wanting all those businesses to be open for them at all times. If we want to change the societal norms around working hours it has to include everyone, not just software developers or else it isn't going to stick.
Though honestly this thread is making me think that we need to basically reinvent the Sabbath. I'm old enough (mid 30s) to remember when most everything was closed on Sundays and now it's just another day for errands and brunch. Even holidays that were considered sacrosanct like Christmas and Thanksgiving you can now go to the store or they have absurd opening hours the day after (black friday) so that retail workers can't even enjoy the Holiday because they have a 4am shift the next day.
We're seriously out of whack here in the US.
Service folks almost always work in shifts already, many are part time. One of the benefits of moving up the ladder is to get holidays off. I think this is the only way it could possibly work.
Agree that most people should have say, Sunday off, but there are many import things that must have 24/7 or close to it coverage. Groceries (every day), medical personnel, firefighters, etc. Lot's of nurses work 3*12hr shifts per week for example.
Yes and it is interesting that the response to my comment is "oh we meant them too". Which I know is said in good faith but it fundamentally shows a disconnect from how a huge portion of our society lives.
How many of us would forgo a Starbucks on Friday in order to have that 4 day week?
Though honestly this thread is making me think that we need to basically reinvent the Sabbath. I'm old enough (mid 30s) to remember when most everything was closed on Sundays and now it's just another day for errands and brunch. Even holidays that were considered sacrosanct like Christmas and Thanksgiving you can now go to the store or they have absurd opening hours the day after (black friday) so that retail workers can't even enjoy the Holiday because they have a 4am shift the next day. We're seriously out of whack here in the US.