Dreaming of a job, of creating surplus for your capitalist and thanking him for that opportunity, is shit.
Dreaming of labour however? Imagine you work in a Socialist society, whatever that means to you. However you imagine trustworthy Socialist leadership/guidance to look like, imagine it exists, you experiencing it, maybe you are a part of it.
Now ofc society still faces challenges, not everything is bliss. But people feel hopeful, encouraged by the changes they see happening around them. Changes, in fact, that they bring about with their labour. Housing being built, and populated. People being lifted out of poverty.
Maybe people come together in socialist meetings eager to engage, they feel their voices being heard, their needs being met. Maye they just want to connect. Without the alienating forces of capitalism people open up to one another, creating understanding among each other.
Renewable energy and public transportation advances. Maybe new means of production are envisioned. Reaction is on the backfoot. People unlearn the concept of externality, realizing we, workers on this planet, are all in this together and that that is the only way to progress. It sets in: We can't create prosperity through externalization, not through slavery, not by exploiting an externalized global south, not by dumping trash in an "infinite" ocean, not by pumping CO2 into an "infinite" atmosphere, not by pushing the burden onto a gender, race or religion.
As all externality vanishes even the backwards start to wonder why that is not a problem? There is no need for squeezing the life out of someone "other" and isolating ourselves with the fruits of their labour. With modern forces of production our labour creates plenty. Nothing is siphoned off by the ruling class, the ruling class are the workers, it flows to where people need it most according to a Marxist analysis.
Whatever you imagine your labour is directly contributing. Maybe you're a scientist and work on cold fusion or you optimize new ways to grow crop, without straining the environment through monocultures etc. Or you try to cure rare but harsh diseases whatever the case your funding isn't cancelled bc you are not making anyone any money.
Or you are a teacher or construction worker, only you earn a lot and you know you help give to the people what they desperately need, whats more the people know it too, they even build you statues and of course you, like everyone else can rest peacefully knowing they have their health covered by the labour of other people.
You are a gear in a machine, but not in an imperial war machine, but in a cooperative machine that cures cancer, educates, struggles against oppression and aims to liberate every single person to allow them to live their life summoning their creative, mental, physical potential.
I would love to work and work and work in such a world. Unfortunately we have to work towards such a world and that means working in a hostile environment which turns the work into struggle, which makes it so much harder.
But dreaming of labour I can understand
That's one of the main draws of socialism and communism for me. Doing shit because you want to do it, not because you have to. Automate everything nobody wants to do.
Years ago I've read a brilliant short story about an American immigrant moving to socialist post-scarcity Australia. I tried finding it again many times, but never could. From what I remember it showed the mental transition really well.
well...you have a point too
I've worked in places where I would be so exhausted I would dream about working. Shit sucks. That's no way to live.
- My dream job is not a job.
- My dream car is not a car.
- My dream house is not a house.
- My dream vacation is not a vacation.
Well i do dream of labour though, in form of nightmares about job. They are better than the ones about pulling teeth and running from something, but still suck.
