So I 100% agree with everything you said, but don't see how it connects to the points you raise above.
As you say, people should think long and hard about their life goals, and in my opinion, would probably be happier with a different work life balance where they can afford it.
However, I don't see a world in which I would work part time at a job less enjoyable with worse pay than my current one. I would rather optimize to work the minimum hours at the best compensated job I can find. (e.g. why work 50-50% at white collar job and terrible job, when I can just work 51% at the white collar job).
Sure, there are major challenges to most people doing this, but removing those barriers is a lot more realistic that introducing job swapping that people don't even want. The simple place to fix the problem is uncouple health and other benefits from employers. The current system discourages part time work because employers have fixed costs per employee. Once you break this link, more people will work part time.
>Have you ever gone out and built something for yourself, like a shed?
Yes, I love building things for myself and my friends, but I wouldn't want to do it as a low paying job. In fact, doing it as a job would give me less time and money to do it for myself and friends. For me, that is just hopping off one economic hamster wheel and onto another. My job is complex and hard enough as it is, doubling the required skills and cutting the time to learn them sounds horrible. I'm fully aware that sharing jobs might be more attractive for the guy shoveling asphalt 100% of the time
> I got snippy in another response to you on a different comment chain.
No worries, at least to me it seems like you are engaging in good faith, listening to answers, and responding to what people are saying instead of talking past them. I can live with a little snippiness as long as people are coherent.
As you say, people should think long and hard about their life goals, and in my opinion, would probably be happier with a different work life balance where they can afford it.
However, I don't see a world in which I would work part time at a job less enjoyable with worse pay than my current one. I would rather optimize to work the minimum hours at the best compensated job I can find. (e.g. why work 50-50% at white collar job and terrible job, when I can just work 51% at the white collar job).
Sure, there are major challenges to most people doing this, but removing those barriers is a lot more realistic that introducing job swapping that people don't even want. The simple place to fix the problem is uncouple health and other benefits from employers. The current system discourages part time work because employers have fixed costs per employee. Once you break this link, more people will work part time.