In The Burnout Society Byung-Chul Han explains how we have transitioned from a disciplinary society to an achievement society. In such society, authority is internalized. An individual views himself as a brand to be marketed. We evidently see this in LinkedIn culture. Knowledge is turned into a mere vehicle for marketing oneself. Life becomes a game of self-optimization. Hobbies are frowned upon if they don’t contribute to your career or capital growth. No external authority is forcing you to act this way, but achievement society encourages an environment for it to foster within you. It is marketed as personal growth. A job is no longer a means to an end. It is your identity.
Socializing becomes networking. People become hollowed-out. They lose depth and character. Genuine hobbies are replaced with “side-hustles.” Thought provoking conversations and talks of higher-goals are not welcomed. They interrupt the social game.
Such environment paves the way for mental self-exploitation. An individual overworks not because he was told to, but for his ego. He feels a sense of fulfillment in overworking. His master is internalized, and he is a slave of himself. Corporate culture provokes such an environment to produce more. Every glimmer of cognitive activity is drained, leading to burnout, and eventually, depression, or even suicide. Social studies on Karojisatsu (Japanese term which translates to suicide due to overwork) demonstrate that.