Idleness is a virtue, hard work isn’t. (In Praise of Idleness by Bertrand Russell)

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In 1932 British philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell penned an essay titled In Praise of Idleness. This is a summary and discussion of his view…

In short — hard work is not a virtue. Bertrand writes:

I think that there is far too much work done in the world, that immense harm is caused by the belief that work is virtuous, and that what needs to be preached in modern industrial countries is quite different from what always has been preached.

I can see his work as a critical idea for reshaping happiness in modern society… Let’s start with his definition of work and idleness.

Work is of two kinds: first, altering the position of matter at or near the earth’s surface relatively to other such matter; second, telling other people to do so. The first kind is unpleasant and ill paid; the second is pleasant and highly paid… [There is a] third class of men, more respected than either of the classes of workers. These are men who, through ownership of land, are able to make others pay for the privilege of being allowed to exist and to work. These landowners are idle, and I might, therefore, be expected to praise them. Unfortunately, their idleness is rendered possible only by the industry of others; indeed their desire for comfortable idleness is historically the source of the whole gospel of work. The last thing they have ever wished is that others should follow their example.

With that established, let’s consider the role of culture. What is or is not virtuous, what is right or wrong, and what is or is not ideal — these are all cultural creations. Norms, morals, and virtues are all inconspicuously crafted through political and educational propaganda and advertising (and sometimes purely on accident).

It seems the making of work into a virtue has been largely a project of the third class above (owning and ruling class), to encourage the other two classes of workers to work more and more intensely to the benefit of the owners. This has its origins in the earliest civilizations wherein peasants toiled to create just enough for themselves and with a slight surplus. This surplus was taken by force by religious rulers and warriors.

What we see is an evolution from force to ideology.

Duty and morality are now what compel the working masses to toil in excess so their surplus value can be captured. We see this most clearly in those controlling educational propaganda which glorifies “good, honest work” from “salt of the Earth” people making “an honest living”. Perhaps this is glorification as manipulation?