Better Than Sex: How a Whole Generation Got Hooked on Work

Helen Trinca and Catherine Fox asked each other these questions and were surprised at the force of their answers. There have been times when work has gone so well for them, they were so engaged and excited that they could do nothing other than work. Yes there had been periods of boredom, frustration and stress, but those emotions were overwhelmed by the times when they felt bigger, stronger, better through work. They agreed work had been deeply satisfying and defined them to themselves, and to some extent to others. The authors are in a perfect position to decipher how much work has changed in the last few decades and where it is heading because their work is about work. They spend their time thinking, writing and talking about the way jobs are organised, the way companies are run and the way power operates in offices. They are immersed in the meaning of work. From where Catherine Fox and Helen Trinca view the world it is clear work has won. It decides status, adds or detracts from meaning. It has eaten up all the available space in society and become the defining institution, taking over from religion, family, politics and culture. They offer a reality check of what work means now. They look at the psychology of work, why we get so hooked on work at certain times in our life. What drives us- guilt, enthusiasm, duty, ambition, habit? The reasons differ but many people will recognise themselves in the stories and trends detailed in the book.