Work, Financial Independence, and Quest for Meaning: The Case of 'financial Independence, Retire Early' in Quebec (Canada) in the Post-Pandemic Era

In a context where workers are driven by quests for meaning and coherence, this communication focuses on a marginal movement whose popularity has increased with the pandemic crisis, both in Quebec (Canada) and elsewhere in the West: frugalism (often referred to as FIRE, Financial Independence, Retire Early). Born in the United States in the 1990s, this movement proposes a lifestyle model based on savings, investment and responsible consumption, with the aim of accumulating the assets needed for financial independence and, if desired, early retirement, from the job market. By examining the most influential personal finance books within the Quebec frugalist community, this communication demonstrates that frugalist discourse highlights both the economic issues and the meaning of work, which are united by a programmed change in the work ethos. Far from questioning the value of work, the study shows that frugalists, once financial independence is achieved, aspire to a lifestyle aligned with their values. In this context, work - freed from its economic constraints- can become an integral part of their life, according to chosen modalities. More broadly, the media and literary success of the books analyzed testifies to workers' interest in alternative lifestyles and their desire to reevaluate the meaning and place of work in their lives, through modalities in line with their personal values. The study of this community is therefore relevant to understanding the changing relationship to work in a changing society.