Gabrielle Judge, the “Anti Work Girlboss,” has garnered a following with videos and articles railing against corporate culture. A social media influencer, Judge originally went viral with her “lazy girl job” trend which received negative reactions from a variety of news outlets. Astute followers understand that “lazy” and “anti work” are merely hyperbolic word choices, while defenders of the corporate hustle mocked Judge for what they perceived to be the glorification of laziness.
Gen Z humor aside, Judge’s message is serious. “Anti-work” philosophy calls for greater freedom for workers, which she identifies as a low priority in the modern economy. This economy, Judge argues, “is a system profiting from our lack of autonomy” and “prioritizes shareholder value above all.” The current system, she argues, operates on the collective belief “that employees shouldn’t have autonomy, but elites should.” Judge appears to describe something similar to a “servile state” as characterized by Catholic writer Hillaire Belloc. Catholic social teaching has long declared that the economy must serve humans and not the inverse. At its core, this is Judge’s philosophy.
Judge does not appear to endorse a system of collectivism but rather presents a system of strategies that workers can implement to empower themselves to draw clear boundaries at work and advance their careers with dignity. While Judge has endorsed various policy initiatives, much of her content encourages workers to develop skills and mindsets that will enable them to create a healthier work life balance.
This is just one of the many responses to the modern economy. Some influencers endorse entrepreneurship as a means to escape the system and achieve financial independence. Others encourage their followers to achieve the same end by getting “off the grid” in a spirit of self-reliance. These different ideas share the common sentiment of disillusionment with the modern economy. There is a widespread hunger to escape corporate culture.
These trends represent something of a secularization of Catholic social teaching, specifically the dignity of work and the rights of workers and, to a slightly lesser extent, the Church’s call to family, community, and participation. This is not to say that the aforementioned trends totally align with Catholic social teaching but, rather, that their diagnoses of the modern economy might. The corporate world, many find, does not lend itself to a meaningful and dignified work life and diminishes time for family and community involvement.
“What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?”
Many are waking up to the fact that there is more to life than professional success and are looking for meaning elsewhere. This presents both hope and opportunity for the Catholic Church. Many corporate employees are fed up with the high demands and long hours of their office job and seek more family time, less financial anxiety, and a meaningful life outside of work, all of which are offered by a true renewal of faith.
If some people find “anti-work” sentiments enticing, they may find themselves interested in the rich history of Catholic economic thought. The Catholic Church has long been on the forefront of economic reforms. Belloc, Chesterton, Day, and others were influential in fighting for a more human economy. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was notably inspired by Quadragesimo Anno, the encyclical written in response to the Industrial Revolution.
From there they may be further compelled to learn more about the faith itself. Dissatisfaction in the American economy is a major opportunity to demonstrate the wisdom and truth that is found in the teachings of Christ. After all, if someone has been disenchanted with the reality of corporate America, they may have already learned a part of Christ’s message the hard way. After long hours in the office, they might truly resonate with the question posed in the Gospels: “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?”
Many believe the modern economy is broken, and young people are searching for answers on how to thrive. Gone are the days of a single-income household with a 40-hour workweek. Traditionalists may be tempted to “stand athwart history yelling ‘stop’,” but it is hard to yell at student loan payments and a hostile housing market. The answer may lie in these bright young influencers. Policy makers and thought leaders who espouse Catholic social teaching should pay attention. The answer may lie in a synthesis of Chesterton and the Anti Work Girlboss. There exists both a chance to expose a new generation to the wisdom of Catholic social teaching and an opportunity for a serious conversation about the future of the modern economy.