The Struggle for Motivation in Job Searching (from a Marxist perspective)
by Nicola Tenca
I have been diligently searching for a new job for over a month now. Each “no” I receive serves as motivation to delve into my creative pursuits — writing, filming, editing videos, and sharing my endeavors on LinkedIn. However, the emotional rollercoaster is not always so easily navigated. As someone with a strong inclination towards creativity and academia, I find a profound sense of belonging in my creative work compared to technical activities.
What weighs on me, beyond the disappointment of job rejections, is the tendency to perceive them as a rejection of my creative endeavors. While I am consciously aware that job rejections stem from various factors such as working hours, payment, technical skills, availability, and language requirements, societal ideas surrounding work often lead us to believe otherwise. Some of these dynamics are elucidated in classic Marxist writings.
In Marx’s “Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844”, he meticulously outlines the philosophical definition of ‘work’ in the context of the relationship between workers and their production. Marx asserts that as individuals shape their entire material existence through the manipulation of nature, nature itself becomes integral to human life and activity. Consequently, work, initially perceived as a means for physical survival, takes on a deeper significance as the essential activity for the survival of the human species.
According to Marx (1968), the human ability to create an externalized and objectified world establishes evidence of a human conscientious character. The “human species’ character” is expressed through “free and conscious activity.” Hence, it is within work, perceived in its entirety as a conscious activity, that humanity becomes materially visible, and externalized. That being so, Marx’s philosophical assumption leads to the conclusion that the external manifestation of work, the product of work is nothing but the physical materialization of an individual. Work, as a conscious activity, leads to the material manifestation of an individual’s time. This understanding forms the basis of Marx’s theory of alienation and fetishization of work, which underlies capitalism.
Artistic and creative work, along with all other types of working activities, expresses what we have of most value: our time. In the context of my transition from an administrative role to a curatorial, artistically productive, and creative field, the perspective that what I produce may lack monetary value is disheartening, especially in fields like art and academia, where personal passion and commitment play pivotal roles. What triggers me to write is not the sense of… worthlessness. I know the value of my work, especially my creative and artistic work. What I am shedding light on is the impression that a job refusal might give.
The misconception that my work lacks value stems from the frenzied neoliberal emphasis on productivity. My creative and artistic work is not merely a means to pay bills; it is a conscious choice driven by passion, personal motivation, and a sense of purpose. Artists and academics, driven by intrinsic motivations, contribute significantly to societal well-being and critique within a capitalist framework. I create because that is what I do, because I love it, or because I have to. It is what I do with my time by free choice. And this is also work, whether paid or not.
When faced with a job rejection, the tendency to feel devalued arises, perpetuating the belief that one’s work lacks monetary worth. However, it is crucial to differentiate between producing and selling. Survival under capitalism is not solely contingent on working but on selling one’s workforce, which could be much harder under the circumstances of Industry 4.0. Shifting the perspective allows for a reevaluation of strategies — how can I make myself more desirable in the job market?
The neoliberal trap suggests becoming one’s boss or altering the product to meet market demands. However, this shift in mindset requires careful consideration of whether transforming creativity into a neoliberal product aligns with one’s values and goals. In the true Marxist sense, the creative output already holds immense value, reflecting the individual’s character in the context of the current time and contributing to the broader discourse of societal critique and well-being.
