ichard J. Murphy captures the core issue in his series Understanding Economics (What is Work?): a society's true wealth stems not from capital or currency, but from human effort, care, and emotional dedication. Unpaid caregiving and volunteer work build essential societal value yet remain completely invisible in standard economic statistics. In dialogue with Katrin Franke from Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie e.V., the urge to re-anchor these values becomes obvious—especially for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. As Mira notes, younger generations feel deeply disillusioned, viewing conventional employment as incapable of offering property ownership, financial security, or stable family prospects. We must redefine work as purpose-driven effort and transform its structural conditions.
