The Labour That Doesn't Return: Resonance Collapse in Capitalist Work Structures

This paper analyzes why modern labor—despite being productive, specialized, and socially necessary—often feels devoid of meaning. Using the framework of Judgemental Philosophy, we argue that the collapse of resonance within contemporary work structures disables the possibility of judgemental meaning. While work may still be constructible (task-defined) and coherent (logically organized), it increasingly fails to return meaning to the subject. This breakdown of resonance, we claim, is the structural reason why work becomes alienating, even when materially compensated. We propose a model for restoring resonance in labor systems as a precondition for ethical and psychological well-being.