My blog posting yesterday, whose title also included a question mark, was based on an article I found in the September 27, 2025 edition of The New York Times. The source of my blog posting today is exactly the same.
In her "Shop Talk" column, which was published in The Times on September 27th, Lora Kelley tells us what "996" has come to mean, reflecting a kind of "hustle culture" that Kelley says in "taking hold in Silicon Valley." Here's a quick summary of Kelley's message:
Working 9 to 5 is a way to make a living. But in Silicon Valley, amid the competitive artificial intelligence craze, grinding “996” is the way to get ahead. Or at least to signal to those around you that you’re taking work seriously.
The number combo refers to a work schedule — 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week — that has its origins in China’s hard-charging tech scene. In 2021, a Chinese high court barred employers from compelling employees to work 72-hour weeks. But that hasn’t stopped California tech workers from fixating on the approach — and posting about it nonstop in recent weeks on X and LinkedIn.
Evidence of the trend is so far largely anecdotal: Some companies are noting their expectation for 70-hour-plus workweeks in job descriptions. Executives are said to be asking prospective hires if they are willing to work such schedules. And Ramp, a financial operations start-up, noted in a blog post this month that it had observed a higher share of corporate credit card transactions in San Francisco on Saturdays for the first half of this year than in previous years, which it took to mean that people are working more on weekends.
If we, as citizens, are supposed to be "running the place," and we are, corporate interests shouldn't be deciding how long a typical work week, and work day, should be. Actually, that's a "legislative," not a "corporate" decision. There's a lot of labor history that got us to the "eight hour day."
Let me reiterate my claim that we need to assert the "primacy of politics" in determining how our individual and collective lives unfold. If that seems right to you, you will appreciate the following comment: "996? Give me a break!"
Alert and loyal readers of my blog postings will note that I said exactly the same thing yesterday!
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