Analysis of the Causes of Modern People's Busyness and Guilt

Problem Background

• People generally feel work pressure and experience guilt when they stop.
• Modern society tends to prove one's self-worth through busyness and work.

Rest and Guilt

• A survey from the University of London shows that rest is seen by some as laziness and shame.
• Busyness has become an important symbol of self-worth in modern society.

Sociological Perspective

• Jonathan Gershuny believes social status today is determined by work, not rest.
• Big shots often flaunt their packed schedules, influencing ordinary people to build their identities through busyness.

The Busyness Trap

• Some people maintain the illusion of busyness even when unemployed.
• Busyness is a sign of learned helplessness, and society encourages this busyness through implicit mechanisms.

From Disciplinary Society to Achievement Society

• The 18th-century disciplinary society managed through rules and high-pressure systems.
• The modern achievement society guides people to voluntarily strive through opportunities and dreams.
• This mechanism leads people to self-pressure, forming invisible shackles.

Positivity and Negativity

• Achievement society emphasizes the cause-effect relationship between effort and success, affecting the societal attitude toward failure.
• It makes people proud of their busyness, yet brings hidden harms like depression.

The Consumerism Trap

• Busyness leads to spiritual emptiness, and consumption fills this void.
• People try to prove their social worth through consumption, leading to a loss of self-identity.

True Rest

• True rest is cutting off from external connections and embracing negativity.
• Similar to mindfulness training, it can help reduce stress and enhance self-awareness.

Free Thinking

• Understand the limitations of life and reasonably view the relationship between effort and reward.
• When making life plans, consider a "do-not-do" list to avoid excessive self-blame.

Conclusion

• Modern society's excessive emphasis on effort may lead to psychological burdens.
• Timely rest and self-understanding can help find balance and tranquility in busyness.