Life Histories at Risk: Work and Identity in Flexible Capitalism

The aim of this paper is to discuss the consequences of flexible capitalism on personal life. In contrast to some apologetic interpretations of postmodern society that celebrate the freedom of fragmentary, flexible life histories, I argue that people need to build a coherent “narrative” that describes the course of their lives in order to become ethical, reflective individuals. A re-reading of Max Weber’s Protestant Ethics reveals that modern professions (Beruf) form the cornerstones of modern personality and character. The material conditions of flexible capitalism seem to erode the aspects of character that make individuals bond together and capable of looking forward into the future