Workers doing their jobs as defined in their contracts has been given a name: “Quiet Quitting.”

The idea is that just doing your job is a form of quitting. This is nothing more than victim blaming. It paints workers as lazy for not wanting to work themselves to exhaustion.

The idea originated from our early Puritan settlers. It’s the so-called “Puritan work ethic.” That concept, coupled with the idea that wealth is a sign of God’s favor, has become American culture. You must work until you die. Taking a vacation is a sign of weakness. If you’re not rich, God doesn’t love you.

The idea has only burrowed deeper since commerce became the new American god. You are lazy if you don’t spend all your waking moments working. Your career is more important than your humanity.

America once claimed our system was better than the USSR. They told us that in communist Russia, everyone had to give their lives to the State. But we do the same thing. The only difference is that in America, it’s not the State but business.

I’m not saying that putting in extra work is a bad thing. So long as your goal is to improve yourself or your abilities, that benefits your humanity. And that helps yourself, your society, your community, and, yes, your company. Work harder to improve your quality, not your quantity. Protecting yourself from burnout is the best way to do that. Humanity is more important than commerce.