The Burnout Society
This article looks a bit rambling and unfocused to me. I'm not really sure where it wants to go.<p>But there is a pretty easy explanation for why people are burned out. All the really manual jobs are being slowly automated away or are low-status, so everyone is chasing creative, thoughtful or social jobs. And those jobs are getting more full on.<p>People are being pushed to do things that evolution really hasn't equipped them to do - sustained periods of low physical activity, high mental activity guided by willpower rather than instinct. That is pretty tiring.<p>Software is a great example. All engineering fields. Anything involving computers. Anything involving investment. Most creative work. Any customer service work (not mentally stimulating, but very demanding of continuous social engagement & othen in tense situations). Mechanical work.<p>It used to be everyone was a farm labourer. We don't have much work like that any more. Most of us have to plan out how we'll get physically tired out because it doesn't happen by accident any more.