It’s certainly been eye-opening for me and many others. When people went virtual and lost the social/cultural aspect of their jobs, many realized how much they disliked the daily work itself. Now, more people are breaking into new fields, following their passions, starting “side hustles”, etc. People are also rightfully questioning if a traditional five-day, 9 am to 5 pm office schedule is necessary for all jobs.

I think there may be a paradigm shift occurring in our construct of “work”, but it’s not like Americans want to sit around and do nothing all day. The GOP is pumping that narrative to justify giving fewer benefits to the poor while enriching their donor friends. As you say, it’s the oldest trick since the Reagan era.

Americans are the hardest-working people of any industrial country — the lower/middle class most of all. I totally agree with you that we shouldn’t fall for this “laziness” narrative.