I’ve seen others recently, but the two I saw today are a Capital One commercial and a Progressive commercial.
In the first, the Capital One guy is talking to a couple of people. He is asked what he does for fun, and he does not know what to say. Then, they cut to him getting ready to sleep at the bank.
Another is the Progressive commercial where Flo talks with another woman about vacations. The other woman doesn’t seem to know what a vacation is. Flo begins describing what one is. In the end, she says she doesn’t really know, gives up, and says she’s never been on one either.
I was thinking about them while driving and came to the title thought.
Work-life balance is super subjective (what works well for one person may be debilitating for another) - and using it to make weird jokes like this is probably alienating for many in their audience. Poor choice all around.
It is individual but its also cultural. Many in Europe and Canada look at work life balance in the US and see it as toxic, for example.
I was shocked to find out many women don’t get more than 3 months maternity leave (FMLA) in the US and it may be unpaid. That’s a dystopian work life balance compared to other high income countries.
In Canada, women get 9 months paid leave and most end up going back to their old job. In the US I find many women come back in 3 months because they have no choice (accepting the psychological burden that comes with this) or they switch to part time work which can put their health care coverage at risk (extremely problematic since they just had a baby).
I find the American system to be fundamentally misogynistic.
I personally find the thinking on this is too rigid. I get putting boundaries in place so people are not abused. But it isn’t a moral failure of a person if they don’t fit into this box. I work a ton, but it is from home, with family, and supported by a stay at home husband. It isn’t right for everyone, and people should be protected from this if it isn’t right for them - but there isn’t anything wrong with it. Likewise, my maternity leave was 8 weeks, because I was ready to work and my work situation allowed for it. The American system is absolutely misogynistic, but the fundamental problem underneath both issues that we have managed to get ourselves into an economic situation that requires a two income household or to work a crazy amount.
No one would make you take 9 months off if you lived in Canada, but you always have that option. You could also transfer some of your maternity leave to your partner if you were ready to go back to work earlier. Forward thinking countries recognize that flexibility is required for a healthy population and economy.