We’re All Paying for Someone Else’s 4-Hour Work Week, Not Ours

Well, never mind. I do have a problem with Tim Ferriss, just like I have a problem with anyone who touts the spiritual benefits of minimalism and simplicity, while holding a net worth that floats somewhere in the tens of millions of dollars.

There’s stories floating around the internet about a waterfront mansion he own in Florida. Ferriss has said he’s never owned property there. I’ll admit, a gaudy beach estate doesn’t really suit his persona. If you dive through his Instagram, you can find photos of what his actual place looks like. It’s a little more rustic, but still light years beyond what most people will ever get to enjoy, regardless of how hard they work.

It’s the people who desperately chase the dream he crafted in his book, The 4-Hour Work Week. I’ll be honest, I was disappointed when I read it. It wasn’t the book I thought it was going to be.

I expected a book that called out the glorification of overwork in American culture, one that cited research in creativity and productivity and then envisioned a future where everyone could work less, because right now people are literally dropping dead from their jobs. I expected a book that admitted its gimmicky title a little more candidly, and drove home the message that while an actual 4-hour work week might be impossible for most of us, we can all certainly work together to create a society where more people can support themselves doing what they love.

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