The logic of productivism and its inverse
21
Aug
Several authors argue about the logic of
modern society regarding productivism, this logic is not specific to a mode of production, but characterizes a society where values are all placed around the power and productivity of each individual, thus excluding, for example , the elderly, children, domestic workers and those with special needs.
According to the literature (A. Giddens and others): productivism is the logic that guides the lives of a group of individuals (the so-called “adequate consumers”) while another group (called “failed consumers”) are adrift in economic life , political and social.
For this reason, more critical social analysts place the allocation of work to directed groups as a factor of crisis in contemporary society, also in the academic, political and even spiritual world, a certain profile of a person with some “performance” is required.
Saying that these people take actions according to their abilities or choices is a farce, even if we find some rebellion among young people who opt for jobs such as cooking, sports or leisure sectors, the majority live on projects manipulated by the society of performance and consumption. .
How to reverse this logic, looking at the excluded sectors of society, it is increasingly common for people with special needs, people with certain types of diseases or syndromes to fit into a restricted market full of productivity demands.
The biblical parable of last-minute workers is a well-placed metaphor, where workers who are sitting in the square (discarded from productive spaces) are called to work and although they arrive at the final hour they will receive the same amount as other workers, not to be confused with Misguided projects (in Brazil) that place young people in work without having the remuneration corresponding to the same function performed by “experienced” workers.
The parable, also called “workers in the vineyard” or “generous employer” (Mt 20:1-16), could be the opposite of the productivist vision of the modern labor market.
Giddens, A. (2013) Consequencies of Modernity. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
