Well, sure, but take a few years off of your "job" and you'll find that your prospects for another job are far fewer and for less pay. I think that's generally what people mean by a career even if they aren't particularly chasing advancement.

I'm sorry to hear you feel that way, but those are pretty extreme and sweeping claims. Where do they come from? Here's some data from Gallup, which seems to strongly disagree with at least some aspects of the parent. It shows that every year, going back to 1993, over 80% report being completely or somewhat satisfied with their jobs.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/1720/Work-Work-Place.aspx

On the Internet these days I often see contructed claims of extreme despair - about finding a partner, jobs, war, democracy, crime, etc. etc. In a way it matches an older rhetoric of making brazen, extreme, baseless statements that frame the conversation (around the baseless claims rather than the issue at hand), inflame it, and disrupt people who disagree. It's time to think about whose interests the despair serves.

If you have low standards for what you want out of your job being completely or somewhat satisfied with your job is easy. I enjoy the company of my colleagues, have long holidays that allow me to spend a lot of time with my family and occasionally have engaged and diligent students. I’m somewhat satisfied. Would I do this for free? No. But most people have much worse jobs than I do. They get less respect, have less autonomy, less money and work longer hours than I do. They have less intellectual stimulation. Jobs that lots of people find very satisfying are badly paid, incredibly competitive or both. Actors, artists, professors, many people spend a decade or more of their life chasing that dream and never get it.

If you think this is despair I suggest talking to some depressed people. Most people work for money.

I don't understand the reasoning there. It describes your view of your job, but what does that tell us about other people? It states several claims and theories about other people's jobs, but where is any basis? It also says little about their job satisfaction, only what you think of their jobs. Finally, it conflates 'willing to work for free' with job satisfaction, which I don't understand.

I think I do understand your personal view of working, which you are entitled to, but I see no basis for why you think (or I would think) others agree. Also, I have evidence (in the GP) that they overwhelmingly don't and my experience of people also disagrees.

If you get joy from your job that’s great. Good for you. Most people work for money. We can tell because most people stop working when they don’t have to. Their job is not where they get joy in their life. You believe a survey showing people are (somewhat) satisfied with their job shows they get joy from their jobs. I believe it shows they mostly don’t hate their jobs.

I think that’s where disagreement lies.

> Most people work for money. We can tell because most people stop working when they don’t have to. Their job is not where they get joy in their life.

Again, just statements with no evidence. Don't attack mine - provide some!