Life beyond flexibility: Results of inverted freedoms of the work life

In the industrial era, while "routine" serves not only in the management of workers but also contributes to shaping society as a whole, "flexibility" deploys its imperatives to transform society in all its dimensions. While routine constructs the culture industry through the masses, flexibility empowers the individuality of the dissolved mass in all areas. Popular personal development tools (books, videos, podcasts, education, etc.) have waged a battle against tradition-authority-discipline and standards, effectively conveying the narrative that individuals can perform at their best in every aspect. From now on, the only obstacle in front of the individual is themselves. When responsibility is assumed and initiative is developed, the individual's capabilities become limitless. With these characteristics, "flexibility" stands directly against the criticized "routine". This thesis aims to examine "routine" and "flexibility" from their points of origin and present their utility orientations. In this context, within the conceptual framework, concepts and opinions related to "routine" and "flexibility" have been addressed from a historical perspective. The connection between ideology's evolution and the connection of work with ideology has been discussed from the perspectives of different thinkers. As a result of the literature review, fundamental characteristics of the inverted freedoms of flexibility have been identified. To establish the connection of these characteristics, the three most popular TED videos ("The Power of Vulnerability", "Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe", "The Happy Secret to Better Work") have been analyzed through critical discourse analysis, and a research method in the form of a trial has been employed. The form of the research method involves adapting the results obtained along with the determination of the conceptual framework ("Inverted Freedoms of Flexibility") to TED videos and discussing the emerged outcomes. As a conclusion, a strong relationship between "routine" and "flexibility" has emerged, and it has been observed that TED videos support the "inverted freedoms of flexibility" that emerged within the conceptual framework.