Passion as Capital: The Cultural Production of “Good Computer Scientists”

Abstract

“Do what you love” has become a hegemonic mantra in large swaths of the labor force, and the expectation for workers to be passionate about their work is intense within the technology sector. When we interviewed eight undergraduates at a large Canadian university about what makes someone a “good computer scientist,” participants stressed the importance of passion. Passion was described as a form of capital: to be accumulated and traded for advancement in the labor market. We examine how passion works as a hegemonic norm within this culture, and untangle passion as requiring two distinct processes: conspicuous production (via extracurriculars and internships), and affective passion (via performing interest and enthusiasm for the subject). We explore the relationships and feedback loops amongst conspicuous production, affective passion, and other forms of Bourdieusian capital. In doing so, we uncover the mechanics of the power structures which underlie post-feminist and meritocratic narratives of self-motivated passion.