Does Working Hard Really Make You a Good Person? | Azim Shariff | TED

Imagine for a second

The speaker introduces a hypothetical scenario where someone's job is replaced by advanced software, and they have the option to continue getting paid or stay home.

Options for redundant job

• The person can choose to keep getting paid but stay home as the software does their job.

• Alternatively, they can choose to keep going in and do the work that could have been automated for the same money.

Two options given by employer

The speaker explains that the person with the redundant job has two options given by their employer.

Options presented

• Option 1: Continue getting paid as per the contract but stay home while the software does the job.

• Option 2: Keep going to work and perform tasks that could have been automated, earning the same salary.

Choosing between options

The speaker discusses how most people would choose to take the money and go home, but some may choose to keep working. They question what this choice says about a person's character.

Perception of those who choose to keep working

• People who choose to keep working are seen as less competent but also warmer and more moral.

• They are viewed as trustworthy individuals who will do what is right.

• Despite not adding extra value, they are seen as virtuous for choosing to continue working.

Hypothetical scenario of Jeff

The speaker introduces a hypothetical medical scribe named Jeff and shares this scenario with research participants.

Different outcomes for Jeff

• Half of the participants hear that Jeff chooses to go home.

• The other half hear that Jeff chooses to keep working.

Perception of Jeff based on his choice

Participants' perception of Jeff varies depending on whether he chooses to go home or keep working.

Perception of Jeff who keeps working

• Seen as less competent but warmer and more moral.

• Viewed as a good person who can be trusted to do the right thing.

• Even though Jeff adds no extra value, people see him as virtuous for choosing to continue working.

Effort moralization

The speaker introduces the concept of effort moralization, where people attach moral worth to effort regardless of the outcome.

Study on widget makers

• People perceive a harder-working widget maker as less competent but more moral.

• When choosing a cooperation partner, individuals prefer someone who struggles and puts in more effort.

Effort moralization across cultures

The speaker discusses how effort moralization is not limited to one culture but appears to be a universal phenomenon.

Replication of results

• The study's findings were replicated in South Korea and France, two countries with different work norms.

• In all these places, the harder-working person was seen as more moral and a better cooperation partner, despite adding no extra value.

Good character qualities

The speaker shares research findings from the Hadza people in Tanzania regarding qualities that contribute to good character.

Qualities agreed upon by Hadza people

• Generosity and hard work are seen as qualities that contribute to good character.

• This suggests that the intuitive connection between effort and morality may be deeply ingrained across cultures.

Partner choice

The speaker explains how partner choice plays a role in our perception of others' morality based on their qualities as cooperation partners.

Selecting cooperation partners

• Just like selecting romantic partners, we seek out cooperation partners who will help us, not slack off, and share fairly.

• Qualities like generosity, self-control, and hard work are seen as moral qualities because they make someone a better cooperation partner.

Effort and morality

The speaker concludes that the simple heuristic of "people who work hard are good" influences our perception of morality.

Connection between effort and morality

• People are more likely to donate to someone who puts effort into a cause, such as running a marathon for cancer research, compared to someone who pledges to watch a TV show marathon for the same cause.

The transcript is already in English.

Effort and the Culture of Workism

This section explores the concept of workism and how our obsession with effort can lead to perverse incentives and a culture that values activity over productivity.

The Perverse Incentives of Effort

• Our belief that effort is inherently good has created a work environment with perverse incentives.

• When we attach worth to activity rather than productivity, we prioritize being seen as a hard worker over achieving meaningful outcomes.

• This can come at a steep human cost, as people sacrifice time that could be spent on love or leisure for the sake of signaling effort.

The Culture of Workism

• Workism refers to the idea that our jobs are not just sources of income but also define our identity and self-actualization.

• It becomes a cultural norm where everyone feels compelled to participate, leading to an arms race of workism.

• People compete to be perceived as harder working than their peers, which can create unhealthy dynamics in the workplace.

Pointless Jobs and Inefficiencies

• Many jobs are seen as pointless even by those who perform them, yet capitalism fails to root out these inefficiencies.

• Alongside capitalism, we operate under another system called workism, which perpetuates these laborious aspects of our jobs.

• Journalist Derek Thompson coined the term "workism" to describe this phenomenon.

The Obsession with Effort

• Our culture values not just being hardworking but being even harder working than others.

• This obsession with effort leads to constant comparisons and competition among individuals in the workplace.

• People may engage in excessive work hours or engage in "effort porn" just to prove their dedication.

Recognizing Biases and Changing Culture

• Effort is often equated with morality, making it challenging to change the culture of overemphasis on effort.

• While we may not be able to break the mental circuit connecting effort and morality, we can learn to recognize our biases.

• By noticing these biases, we can make more informed decisions and create a culture that values meaningful outcomes rather than just effort.

The Danger of Asking for Effort

• If all we ask from each other is effort, we will end up with a world full of hard labor but lacking in meaning.

• Instead, if we ask for something meaningful to be produced, we can create a world full of purpose and significance.

The Cobra Effect

This section discusses the concept of perverse incentives using the example of the "Cobra Effect" during British rule in India.

The Cobra Bounty Plan

• To deal with cobras overrunning colonial Delhi, a bounty was offered for every cobra skin brought in.

• However, this plan backfired as enterprising Indians started breeding more cobras to collect the bounty.

• When the government abandoned the plan, breeders released the cobras into the city, exacerbating the snake problem.

The Gap Between Desired Outcome and Incentives

• The Cobra Effect illustrates how there can be a disconnect between what is desired (fewer cobras) and what is incentivized (dead cobras).

• Similarly, our focus on effort instead of meaningful outcomes creates unintended consequences in our work culture.

Conclusion

This section emphasizes that asking for meaningful outcomes rather than just effort can lead to a world filled with purpose and significance.