Does working hard really make you a good person? | Azim Shariff (re-release)

Effort moralization drives the human tendency to equate hard work with virtue, regardless of whether that effort produces meaningful results. Research shows that people consistently perceive individuals who struggle through tasks as more moral and reliable partners than those who achieve the same outcomes with ease. This psychological bias fosters "workism," where labor becomes a primary source of identity and a performance metric for character, often leading to the proliferation of pointless "bullshit jobs." By prioritizing visible activity over actual productivity, society creates perverse incentives that mirror the "cobra effect," where the pursuit of effort for its own sake results in wasted time and labor. Recognizing this deep-seated cognitive bias is essential for shifting focus toward meaningful output, ensuring that work serves a purpose beyond merely signaling moral worth to others.