Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site topaz.ARPA
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!topaz!sommers
From: sommers@topaz.ARPA (Mamaliz @ The Soup Kitchen)
Newsgroups: net.social
Subject: Re: Work Ethic
Message-ID: <2077@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 23-May-85 06:11:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: topaz.2077
Posted: Thu May 23 06:11:57 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 24-May-85 05:01:33 EDT
References: <686@udenva.UUCP>
Reply-To: sommers@topaz.UUCP (Mamaliz @ The Soup Kitchen)
Distribution: net
Organization: The NJ Home for Perverted Hackers
Lines: 41
Keywords: working, jobs

In article <686@udenva.UUCP> ehenjum@udenva.UUCP (Jack Lindsey) writes:
>
>
>Recently, the following quote was taped up by the time cards in my
>department:
>
>          "The worker ... feels himself at home only during his
>           leisure time, whereas at work he feels homeless.  His
>           work is not voluntary but imposed, 'forced labour'.
>           It is not the satisfaction of a need, but only a 'means'
>           for satisfying other needs.  Its alien character is 
>           clearly shown by the fact that as soon as there is no
>           physical or other compulsion it is avoided like the
>           plague."
>                                Marx, 'Early Writings'
>
>
>I am posting this to net.social, in spite of the reference to Marx,
>because I view it as more of a social than a political issue.  Is work
>something that we must simply tolerate in order to make the $$ to buy
>that VCR and keep groceries in the 'fridge, or are the $$ only part of
>the reason for working?  Most of us spend 40+ hours/week at this
>activity, so perhaps a fuller understanding of why we are doing it is
>worth seeking.
>
Why "in spite of the reference to Marx"?  Marx dealt with the human
condition as he saw it.  Only recently have we split this study up into
artificial categories such as "economics", "politics" and "sociology".

The quote is part of the basis of his work on alienation.  He goes on to
say that the worker is alienated from the product of his labor, because he
has no control over it.  I have heard very few people even try to refute
this statement.




-- 
liz sommers
uucp:   ...{harvard, seismo, ut-sally, sri-iu, ihnp4!packard}!topaz!sommers
arpa:   sommers@rutgers