Alibaba founder defends overtime work culture as 'huge blessing'
reuters.com
reuters.com
So apparently Jack Ma sees his company as some holy saint who give those poor farmland programmers food, water and life.
To be fair, Ma worked 996 when he started his own company, which is different from being forced to do so because you can't find a developer job that doesn't require you to work 996.
The more I learn about the world, the more I'm convinced I'm living in paradise (Europe). Our chinese coworkers hate 996 as much as anybody, but social pressure keeps them in the rat race.
This is totally crazy, sick and stupid.
Good companies here are based on work/private life. There will always be some others, but you won't be judged by doing "only" your hours, but the value you bring to the company in that time.
Paradise for the unproductive and unambitious, yes. That's why Europe is no longer innovative and competitive and China is doing much better.
Many people don't just work for the immediate monetary benefit. Some like the company or see some value in working there or in that industry specifically, some want to prove themselves in a competitive environment to raise in ranks and see better chances even if the starting position is bad etc. ... Some might even like the rough working conditions because they appeal to their work ethic. Slavery would mean they have no choice but they do and they choose 996.
For instance, they amount for 1/3 of all of Thailand's tourism, the most touristic country in the world.
They do build amazing futuristic condos. Google "shanghai skyline". It takes time though...
And Western food is not always known for its quality: the west gave the world burgers, fries or pizzas.
In the end, I'm sure Asia is doing so well because the West thinks poorly of them and leaves them alone.
Hint: I live in Asia and I'm amazed at how so many westerners don't get Asia.
They are now also the Russians of the international luxury real estate market together with the Saudis. I really wonder why some people are so much in denial of these changes.
I know this is true. I also know that most asians don't get westerners.
I think one of these divides might be that each has a different idea of what a high "quality of life" is.
“Many companies and many people don’t have the opportunity to work 996,” Ma said. “If you don’t work 996 when you are young, when can you ever work 996?”
9am to 9pm, six days a week.
But there's no way I'd be willing to devote my every waking minute to someone else's business. So I guess that makes me the slacker...
In short: This is the avarice of Ma speaking, and nothing else.
These days you'd actually except billionaires to go on a virtue signaling tour on how they're paying too little taxes and how capitalism failed the little man, e.g. like Warren Buffer or Ray Dalio.
> Why? It makes him more money.
It actually doesn't, good old capitalist Henry Ford already knew that 40 hours are about the optimum in terms of worker productivity. Everything else is a waste of time (and therefore money).
> This "996" encouragement from the rich is just an expression of their desire for others to help make them richer and others poorer.
Jack Ma came from nothing and worked very hard to get where he is. He really believes in hard work paying off - what else is he supposed to believe?
Also, in a country with a billion people clamoring for a good job, worker competition is cut-throat. It has nothing to do with "rich people" trying to squeeze the workers like lemons. The lemons are squeezing themselves.
> In short: This is the avarice of Ma speaking, and nothing else.
Nope, that's just the "evil rich guy" narrative that your psyche desperately wants to see confirmed.
I guess this man only cares about he's own little family.
One thing that really guts me about Brexit is that if the Tories get their way then 996 will become the norm here too.
Wow. Sounds like a greedy capitalist. I would understand 995 if workers were properly compensated. But 996 is almost inhumane. It stuck me as the same tone as when Jeff Bezos defended Amazons work culture. I guess e-commerce must work with very thin margins.
The only person that should be working 996 are the founders. Everyone else should not be expected to work on the weekends.