From discount stores to large banks: Every job today promises validation that goes far beyond just the pay. The prospect of recognition and self-actualization often replaces secure employment relationships and must compensate for states of exhaustion. Historian Sabine Donauer demonstrates how our attitude towards work has changed in the 20th century: what was once a necessary means of earning a living has increasingly become an intrinsically motivated and motivating occupation. This enhancement of work feelings, as Donauer can show, stems from a clever emotional labor by companies: over the past 100 years, they have succeeded in emotionally binding employees to their work, achieving higher performance and largely avoiding labor disputes—without having to pay more. However, this comes at a high price, as the flip side of this individualism is...