[baumy]

> What in modern society (or even this website) makes you think it's only 40 hours?

The jobs I've held for the entirety of my so-far 8 year career, where I can count on my hands the number of times I've worked more than 40 hours in a week.

> Or that you can just go "not my problem boss" -- in an At Will state that can literally get you fired on the spot.

The fact that I've done that, many times, and not gotten fired. If you are skilled and a good performer, you have a lot of leverage, doubly so in the current job market.

> Bullocks. You set the hours as a contractor -- literally, in the contact. This is standard freelance stuff.

What happens when a client decides not to pay you? What happens when you can't find enough work to make whatever amount you want to make? How do you establish a reliable client base that won't saddle you with those first 2 problems in the first place? That's just the tip of the iceberg of problems you'll have to deal with on your own if you go the freelance route, which a salaried job will abstract away from you. Not everyone wants to deal with those issues; I certainly don't.