Paper short abstract:

There are two notions of loafing. One notion is aimed towards the ennobling of everyday life, and the other, characteristic of the members of the working class, is primarily the means of protection of one's life when faced with the harsh working conditions.

Paper long abstract:

This paper will discuss two notions of loafing. The first notion of loafing, characteristic of the middle class, is aimed towards the ennobling of everyday life, while the other, more characteristic of the working class, is primarily the means of protection of one's life faced with harsh working conditions.

Together with the disappearance of the working class, the ideology of work-as-necessity withdrew as well, and especially since it faced the upcoming concept of work-as-game. "Gamification" of work is part of the process which blurs boundaries between life and work, and reduces the capacity of perceiving the true nature of life/work dynamics in postindustrial society. I argue that, due to the fact that the individual control over existence and working conditions in postindustrial society is reduced, loafing which is needed is not one of sublime ennoblement but of basic survival.