>We are usually so overworked, or constantly worrying about when we will work next, that we really have very little time to fight back or even to enjoy ourselves.
Bug or feature?
Bug or feature?
It's not the we can't enjoy ourselves, it's that the exhaustion of work affects the kind of enjoyment we seek. Instead of going for a nice, long empty walk for free, we feel we have to spend $30 at the movies. Or we don't have enough time to cook, so we spend $50 on a restaurant. Both of these activities keep the "economy" flowing, by constantly moving money out of our hands.
I don't believe us working hard enough to ensure that we can only entertain ourselves by spending money is a diabolical plan. But I think the evil part is when we're influenced to think that we need to spend all that money on ourselves...
Exhaustion might be a very real effect, but I don't think it is usually a goal of an employer.