I’m not sure I have anything significant to add to jaspax comment above which is excellent and summarize most of my objections to the main post.
So this comment is just here to recommand a book which I think could help make the discussion of the two last points (the ones on engagement with object level reality). It is called “shop class as soulcraft”, by Matthews Crawford, and discuss quite engagingly the different kind of relation-to-the world you can get from different kind of jobs. It is generally a defence of jobs that are often considered low status (main example being a motorcycle repairer) ; it’s main point is that those jobs engage you with the reality of the world, exercise your intelligence and give meaning to your live in a way many white-collared jobs don’t. It’s also very well written, alternating between solid philosophical and sociological discussions and down-to-earth example out of the author experience.
I’m not sure I have anything significant to add to jaspax comment above which is excellent and summarize most of my objections to the main post.
So this comment is just here to recommand a book which I think could help make the discussion of the two last points (the ones on engagement with object level reality). It is called “shop class as soulcraft”, by Matthews Crawford, and discuss quite engagingly the different kind of relation-to-the world you can get from different kind of jobs. It is generally a defence of jobs that are often considered low status (main example being a motorcycle repairer) ; it’s main point is that those jobs engage you with the reality of the world, exercise your intelligence and give meaning to your live in a way many white-collared jobs don’t.
It’s also very well written, alternating between solid philosophical and sociological discussions and down-to-earth example out of the author experience.