# vocational awe %% tags %% ## Summary Vocational awe describes the idealization of a profession or institution as inherently virtuous, which can obscure systemic problems and enable exploitation — a pattern increasingly visible in fields like tech, healthcare, and education. ## Definition Vocational awe is a cultural and psychological phenomenon where workers internalize the belief that their vocation — and the institutions they serve — are morally righteous and indispensable. This belief fosters a reluctance to critique those institutions even when they become exploitative, contributing to burnout, self-sacrifice, and systemic stagnation. Originally coined in the context of librarianship, the concept has since found resonance in sectors like technology, where workers once driven by ideals of innovation and public good now witness the degradation (or "[[enshitification]]") of their industry but struggle to resist due to lingering vocational awe. ## Properties - **Idealization of Institutions:** Organizations are seen as sacred, shielding them from critical scrutiny. - **Normalization of Sacrifice:** Workers are expected to accept poor conditions in service of the "greater good." - **Critique as Betrayal:** Criticism is perceived as disloyal or damaging to the profession’s noble image. - **Identity Fusion:** The worker’s personal identity merges with the vocational mission, deepening vulnerability to exploitation. - **Enshittification Tolerance:** Even as institutions deteriorate (become more exploitative or harmful), awe dampens worker resistance. ### Wayfinding %% DATAVIEW_PUBLISHER: start ```dataview TABLE WITHOUT ID questions AS "Responds to", origins AS "Informed by", ideas AS "Developed alongside", concepts AS "Builds on" WHERE file.name = this.file.name ``` %% | Responds to | Informed by | Developed alongside | Builds on | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------- | --------- | | <ul><li>[[thinking/questions/the future of saas.md\|What is the future of SaaS go-to-market?]]</li></ul> | <ul><li>[[resources/clippings/Pluralistic The Enshittification of Tech Jobs - Clips.md\|Pluralistic The Enshittification of Tech Jobs - Clips]]</li></ul> | \- | <ul></ul> | %% DATAVIEW_PUBLISHER: end %% > [!info]- Changelog >- [[2025-04-28-Monday]] - captured after reading in Pluarlistic