Self employed is also a choose. The people you speak of that just do the bare minimum are the same people that would never do a good job if they ran their own business. Lots of people are just lazy. Some are not lazy and don’t need to be micromanaged to do a good job. When you do a good job and have pride in your work it shows be it for a company and a wage or struggling to run your own business. Both have pros and cons but neither are forced on you.