"When work is privilege of the rich?" seems sort of relevant to this discussion. Especially:

"The "masses" mostly waste away in cubicles doing makework. The elite do things like install mosquito nets in sunny third world locales"

I assume that anonmouse is referring to activities like the Peace Corps in which young people from well-off families do work in third world countries that would be considered menial low-wage low-status work if done in the United States.

This demonstrates two points.

(1) If people are convinced that a certain activity is high status or in some way “meaningful,” they will gladly do it no matter how objectively stupid it may be.

(2) We currently see jobs becoming a luxury for the rich. Only young people from well-off families can afford to “work” in the Peace Corps.