Are you making more of a normative argument for how civilization is better? Because I’m not “glamorizing” ancient tribes. That was not my intention, anyway. I happen to be grateful to civilization. I was making a descriptive argument for why the majority of people hate their jobs. This seems to be the case with almost everyone I’ve ever talked to.

Yes. Guidance counselors in schools across the country tell students to “shoot for the stars” implying that if they land the job of their dreams everything will fall into place for them mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. That’s what it seems like to me, anyways.

So, I guess the solution would be not to put so much stock in your occupation as a source of fulfillment. That goes against the American educational system’s propaganda, though.

The fact of the matter is that mental illness diagnosis is on the rise. However, this could be better diagnosing, more pressure from pharmaceutical companies, more actual mental illness due to alienation, or some combination of the aforementioned. — Noah Te Stroete

Well all of this sounds great (the opinion parts) and accurate (diagnosis on the rise, etc). I guess my initial disagreement was just being nitpicky (surprise, surprise).

Depends on their boss and how they treat their own workers, of course. — Noah Te Stroete

I was referring to how much they are paid - the only 'thanks' that ever matters to me.

Yes I think it's something akin to Maslow's hierarchy or needs, also the internet. Looking at a typical middle ages peasant, he didn't have time to worry about his "purpose in life" when he was more concerned with providing food for himself. So being far removed from such necessities pushes people to thinking more about "higher order needs" like purpose and belonging and whatever else. I think something you're missing though is the effect of the internet on intensifying all of these questions. The fact that people can find others like them that lack purpose in their lives and that it has become a common joke (just look at all the popular subreddits, they're all half suicide jokes) serves to convince people that their situation is normal and doesn't need improving

I was making a descriptive argument for why the majority of people hate their jobs. This seems to be the case with almost everyone I’ve ever talked to. — Noah Te Stroete

Ok, well, this is a little different it seems. Because people can be happy with their work yet be really clueless of the purpose of life.

Yet if we look at those that say they hate their jobs, not those that just dislike, are frustrated of or have some critique about their work, but only those truly have a hatred against their work, then their lots more to it shown with the passionate emotional attachment of hating. Personal relations in the workplace would be one natural issue (harassment etc.). If not, naturally to have such an emotional response to something has to be justified to others and what better justification than that the work is totally without purpose, doesn't produce anything, is of no service.

Yes I think it's something akin to Maslow's hierarchy or needs, also the internet. Looking at a typical middle ages peasant, he didn't have time to worry about his "purpose in life" when he was more concerned with providing food for himself. — khaled

Exactly. The monastic life certainly led to philosophical thought because their time was devoted to meditation and prayer. Thinking about
Aquinas here. The privileged have time for philosophy while peasants don’t have the time or awareness. Certain thoughtful peasants probably wondered about the inequality between them and the aristocracy, though.

The advancement of technology outpaces its social avail. The alienated experience is resultant of that technocratic regimes exploit the rate of technological progress and not necessarily of the advancement of technology itself. It's not unnatural to live in the modern world. Civilization has just resulted in an alienated social relationship.