Again, I am able to draw some startling similarities between a Studio Ghibli classic and the 4 Day Week SA. The Secret World of Arrietty tells the tale of “The Borrowers”, 10cm-tall people who take only the things that humans won’t miss, in order to survive. For the purposes of this post, I will only focus on this aspect and Shô’s (Shawn in the American version) terminal condition.
For the record, I am impressed by yet another female-driven narrative that is both dramatic and encouraging to watch. Japan’s equivalent of Disney weaves a story so compelling, that you have to wonder whether the genius that is Miyazaki-san prepared this gift for the generations still to come. As an example, Shô’s character is one that is weak and on the cusp of having a young life cut short, but he literally holds the life of our protagonist in his hands in several scenes.
This sanctity of life can be seen celebrated in the four-day week movement currently sweeping the globe. Having officially started the South African pilot at the beginning of this month, Arrietty allows us to be mindful of our daily consumption and the brief time we spend here on this plane of existence. Such a filthy word, “consumer”. With a dictionary definition of: “a person or thing that eats or uses something.”
Are we really here to spend our days eating and using, until our bodies finally expire?
With the majority of South Africans too busy working to put food on the table and paying off the things we’re using, this is probably not the best question to start with. More time is required to dive deeper. A four-day work week currently offers us some time to do just that. As the highly insightful and always inspirational Shadé Zahrai offered in a response to my LinkedIn comment last week: “Taking action is the missing link between intention and outcome.” So, if we know that more time is required for the average person to come up with an extraordinary solution to a global problem; what can we do about it? Adopt a Borrower mindset?
Well, that part is simple enough to answer if you’re living on the southernmost tip of Africa. Sign up for the June Pilot of the 4 Day Week SA and see for yourself what a difference a day makes.
4 Day Week SA, INFJ, dear INFJ, 4 Day Workweek, 4 Day Week, Future Of Work, Entrepreneurship, Lead With Empathy, South Africa’s Digital Revolution, Work Time Reduction, Reduced Workweek Revolution, Wellbeing In The Workplace, Proudly South African
David-John Wayne Bailey is an INFJ from Cape Town, a proud pioneer pilot participant of 4 Day Week SA and an advocate of a four-day week for everyone working in South Africa.
