In today’s age of automation, finding purpose and meaning in work is more crucial than ever. John Ruskin, a 19th-century thinker, offers timeless insights into human motivation, purpose, and the psychology of work. According to Ruskin, automation risks stripping work of its creativity and meaning, reducing it to mere productivity.
Ruskin believed that good work requires thoughtful engagement, where the process matters more than the final product. He criticized industrial labor for turning people into interchangeable tools, disconnected from the outcome. Instead, he advocated for work that gives individuals a meaningful role in the larger process, valuing their human effort, agency, and creativity.
This concept aligns with modern psychological theories of autonomy, fulfillment, and self-determination. When people have control over their work and can express creativity, they’re more motivated and fulfilled. Job crafting, which involves shaping one’s role to make it personally meaningful, is also essential for finding purpose in work.
Ruskin’s ideas challenge us to rethink what work should be in the age of machines. We must balance automation’s efficiency with human creativity, agency, and joy in the process. By valuing the human effort behind the work, we can create meaningful roles that bring depth and richness to our lives.
References:
* Collicut, J. (2022). “Human kind Cannot bear very much reality”: the relationship between John Ruskin’s visionary aspiration and his mental health. Mental health, religion and culture, 25(3), 231-246.
* Deci, E. L., Olafsen, A. H., Ryan, R. M. (2017). Self-Determination Theory in Work Organizations: The State of a Science. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 19-43.
* Newman, G. E., & Bloom, P. (2012). Art and authenticity: The importance of originals in judgments of value. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 141(3), 558–569.
* Ruskin, J. (1854). The Stones of Venice. Smith, Elder and Co.
* Wilmer, C. (1985). (Ed.). John Ruskin. Unto this last and other writings. Penguin Classics.
* Zhang, F., & Parker, S. K. (2019). Reorienting job crafting research: A hierarchical structure of job crafting concepts and integrative review. The Annual Job Review, 40(2), 126-146.
Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/silicon-psyche/202409/finding-purpose-in-work-in-an-age-of-automation