The worth of work

I am always a bit hesitant to answer people who want to know what I do for fun. The expectation from their end is a list of activities that are distinct from work. This part of the conversation is difficult because my work is deeply fulfilling, and fun is not defined as an escape from it. My productivity as a writer is linked to the pleasure I experience in reading, interviewing, thinking, and articulating. I would not do this work if it drained my spirit. I do have days that are challenging but fun and rigour need not be seen as opposites.

There is tremendous satisfaction in writing an article that opens up a new way of thinking about an issue. I may not know how many people end up reading it but feedback from even a few is a joy to receive. It shows me that my words matter. The reassurance is precious because writing is a source of livelihood, a form of creative expression, and a way of participating in the world — all at once. Praise is welcome but more gratifying than that is the gift of attention. I imagine that I can tell when someone has truly engaged with my ideas and arguments.

This need for recognition is often met in the professional sphere in ways that may not be available within the friend circle or the family unit. Back in my college days, when I was studying literature, many of my relatives used to think that I was wasting my youth. They cautioned me that my life would amount to nothing if I was glued to books.

Recalling that period, I feel glad that I remained loyal to my own convictions. Work has kept me emotionally alive and intellectually stimulated even during this dreary pandemic. “I love coming to work. I love being at work. It’s fun. You know the guys, the girls, the sound of the telex machine...Even if I’m being treated unfairly at work, it’s still the best thing that I have,” says Cindy Reston, one of my favourite characters on Good Girls Revolt, a web series on Amazon Prime. She works at an American magazine that does not allow women to be reporters.

They are relegated to being researchers behind the scenes — coming up with story ideas, tracking down sources, even ghost-writing for men who get the bylines and the adulation.

This story of women rising up against discrimination is set in 1969. Cindy is married to a man who believes that he is doing her a favour by letting her work. He would be happiest if she stayed home, got pregnant, raised a child, and cooked for him. As Cindy says, “He really wants to start a family. And when we got married, I thought that I did too but now I can’t imagine bringing a baby into our home. In the mornings, I cannot wait to get out the door.” Her husband has little understanding of her desires and aspirations. He does not even try.

At work, Cindy draws strength from women who are her colleagues and friends. This gives her the confidence to take greater risks. She forms new relationships, begins to think seriously about economic independence, and emerges as a leader. This relationship between work and self-actualisation must inform the way employers think about transitioning from physical workplaces to work-from-home arrangements. It is difficult for people to be efficient when their need for appreciation is unmet.

(Not Only But Also is a fortnightly column with a fresh take on gender, sexuality, and more. Chintan Girish Modi is a Mumbai-based writer, educator, and researcher. He tweets @chintan_connect.)