Lathes are very cool, I used to get to use one (or something similar) in shop class -- a maximum of five hours a week. Which was just about how I liked it. I'm writing my senior thesis on issues pertaining to this at the moment (or ha! should have been but I read sci fi all day). The problem is that the flexibility often comes within the framework of a tacit worship of that 40 number -- which is entirely arbitrary, of course -- rather than a reverence for productivity, which is the only thing that matters. The phrase my research revolves around is "the fetish of full employment" which is the best sentence I've ever read within the context of economics. Ideas like that make our society real scary to be "entering" at 21-22. I dig this thread. EDIT: I'd be surprised if anyone on hubski can think of something they honestly would like to do 40 hours a week, if they had utter free choice. I'm sure there are some outliers, but I can't think of anything personally. I even get tired of thinking sometimes.I do think that many progressive companies are starting to recognize this and are giving more "flexible" work environments, which isn't a solution but it's nowhere near as horrible as it could be.
I suppose it's assumed that we work 40 plus hours a week remotely, but nobody polices this. We have tangible goals and we either reach them, or we don't. If you don't, you don't make $. Some people can likely reach these goals in 25 hour weeks, others may take 50+. It has to do with proficiency, ability and in many cases geography. I like working towards a goal and not a time clock. Makes WAY more sense.