Ideas worth spreading

Does working hard really make you a good person?

855,408 views | Azim Shariff • TED@DestinationCanada

Around the world, people who work hard are often seen as morally good -- even if they produce little to no results. Social psychologist Azim Shariff analyzes the roots of this belief and suggests a shift towards a more meaningful way to think about effort, rather than admiring work for work's sake.

Around the world, people who work hard are often seen as morally good -- even if they produce little to no results. Social psychologist Azim Shariff analyzes the roots of this belief and suggests a shift towards a more meaningful way to think about effort, rather than admiring work for work's sake.

About the speaker

Azim Shariff

Morality mapper

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Azim Shariff applies the insights of moral psychology to matters of social interest.

Jared Celniker, Andrew Gregory, Hyunjin Koo, et al. | Journal of Experimental Psychology General, 2022 | Article

"The Moralization of Effort"

Derek Thompson | The Atlantic, 2019 | Article

"Workism Is Making Americans Miserable"

David Graeber | Simon & Schuster, 2019 | Book

Bullshit Jobs: A Theory

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