Work, Labor, and Play - Essay Example

Introduction Auden was an influential from NY, England, who became a leading celebrity in the literacysociety. In his article “Labor, Work and Play,” Auden asserts that work is increasingly fun and enjoyable while labor is unexciting and not fun. The essay focuses on global issues and talks about people’s attitude and behavior in their jobs. This discussion will investigate Auden’s definition of work and labor, differences between labor and work, the relationship that play has between labor and work, and the results of technology and current division of labor with respect to play, labor and work. Discussion Summary of the Article Arendt’s Classification of Labor and Work Auden investigates Arendt’s categorization of work, play and labor in his article. Arendt linked the labor concept to processes of biology, death and life and to surviving organisms following the lifecycle whereby the animal produces consumer products and non-durable products required to maintain human life. According to Arendt, laboring activities are continuous (without an end) as long as man is alive. Work, on the other hand, is what people do – what is produced by human hands and effort from their environment. It is the use of objects to produce durable goods (Arendt 51). Work, play and labor are vital activities of humanity, and play and work give human beings freedom for human necessities. Labor is a mere turmoil which primary purpose is immediate life need satisfaction. Differences between Work and Labor Auden discusses how work is exciting and amusing, and labor is unexciting. Play is magnanimous in the laborers’ world, but not mainly proficient at all times. Auden realized that the globe is changing and technologies contribute to a large number of the laborer population in the world. Auden discusses what will happen to people’s life in the “real world.” People have only two choices: either to work and enjoy or labor and get inadequate leisure time. Auden argues that labor is evident when one accomplishes a task that does not need one’s personal contribution, or a task that one forces oneself to accomplish. A laborer feels less worth and has no freedom. According to Auden, one is a laborer if the society offers him a task that he is not interested in doing. In other words, one is forced to perform the task because of the benefit necessary to earn a living and support his family (Auden and Kirsch 24). A person cannot attain self-worth, freedom and excitement as a laborer because a necessity force always compels him to perform a certain task which he does not take pleasure in doing. Similarly, Auden suggests that work is more pleasurable to a person who loves his tasks and assignment, and the society does not compel him to perform the task. It is a person who performs his task even if it is outside his specialization. According to Auden, to be categorized as workers or laborers depends on the preference of the person undertaking the task, not the task itself. The Relationship among Play, Work and Labor Play is crucial to the laborer’s challenges. In his article “Labor, Work and Play,” Auden argues that when people participate in a game (play), they enjoy what they are doing. Otherwise, people should not play, although it is a personal matter whether people play or not. Leisure determines the character of a person. For instance, workers take some time off to refresh and increase efficiency and productivity. A laborer sees leisure and time off as an opportunity to free him from slavery. Similarly, a laborer attempts to take available time, where a worker thinks that time is a hassle. Additionally, workers take advantage of any little time off and leisure time. Results of Technology and Current Divisions of Labor Auden argues that technology can be extremely crucial and can be the most detrimental accomplishment to the soul of a man. This is because, in the end, technology and current division of labor will turn the future world into laborers (Auden and Kirsch 35). He argues that by removing, in various fields, the requirement of primary strengths or expertise, technology and division of labor have contributed to an increased percentage of paid occupations, which initially were amusing tasks, into boring labor and by enhancing productivity, both techniques have minimized the required number of laboring hours. According to Auden, this will increase the leisure time among the population and will make time off less meaningful because of an increased number of laborers that the society will have. Consequently, this will create unhappy population unlike in the past when technology was not in use. Previously, people used to spend their leisure time performing activities such as shooting grouse, and some other time was spent in cities. In the modern world, this is impossible because almost everybody lives in urban areas and the animal population has decreased. Auden argues that the consequence of this will compel various people to opt for fashion in order to drive rapid change. Additionally, because of the increased population of dying animals, more people will change to taking of drugs, risky driving and senseless violence acts. Few of these will influence the workers as they will take their anxiety out in their tasks. Workers are not extremely violent but, as a result, they shift their anxiety into positive activities. Examples Supporting the Thesis Various scholars and researches such as Clayre support Auden’s ideology and principles of play, labor and work. For instance, some agree on differences between labor and work. Some argue that labor is any activity done forcefully for economic gain, and the person engaged in the activity has no interest in doing the task. Laborers take their assignments or task as hard, difficult, boring, fatiguing and slavish (Clayre 65). Clayre believes that the desire that people have to enhance economic production is also a desire for additional pleasure that an increased economic benefit can procure. Therefore, work is increasingly pleasurable because a worker is always happy, free and feels self-worth. This is because whatever task one undertakes is out of free will and the society or circumstances do not compel him to do so. A person is a worker if the society offers him some interest, and he is free to take an earning necessity. Similarly, a person acts as a laborer if the society offers her a job of no interest to him, but he is forced to perform it by the earning necessity to gain economic support for his family. Some also agree that technology and current division of labor, though crucial, are increasingly detrimental to the human soul. For instance, it is possible to think of a community in which most of its population, such as laborers, will have extreme leisure time which was traditionally enjoyed by the aristocracy. Similarly, when we recall how traditional aristocracies behaved, many will agree that the prospect is not amusing. In fact, the challenge of handling boredom may be extremely hard for this increased future number of population compared to past aristocracies. Some argue that the latter, for instance, ritualized their leisure – they had time to do shooting and time to spend in urban areas. The people tend to substitute an unchanging ritual with fashion that will be shifting more frequently for economic reasons In addition, the population cannot specialize in hunting (for leisure) because in the years to come, there would be few animals to hunt. Similarly, for related aristocratic pleasures such as staking, battling and warfare, it would be increasingly possible to find equivalents in risky driving, taking of drugs and worthless violence acts. Workers rarely commit violent acts as they can direct their anxiety into their tasks, whether physical such as smith or metal works, or scientific and artistic works. The function of anxiety in the mental role is increasingly explained by the phrase “having a person’s teeth into a shortcoming.” I believe that the disparity between labor and work does not correspond with the variation amid mental and manual tasks. For instance, a gardener or a blacksmith may act as a worker, while a manager of a bank or clerk may be a laborer. The category of a person is evident from his attitude and belief towards play and leisure. For instance, for a worker, play or leisure implies the time he requires to refresh and recuperate to work effectively. He, thus, tends to take less time for leisure; workers succumb to coronary conditions and forget their family parties. On the other hand, leisure time or a day off means liberty from compulsion (to a laborer); therefore, it is logical for a laborer to imagine that he has less time to use laboring, and increased time he has for leisure is more pleasurable. Technology and labor division may be detrimental as they turn people into slaves of such technologies. Technology has reduced the need for manual laborers and workers in paid occupations, forcing people to labor in fields of reduced interest to earn a living and satisfy family needs. Since technology and division of labor have affected most modern occupations, most people are working as laborers in fields outside their career interests. Therefore, any time off serves freedom from burdening and fatiguing work experience, and may force people to engage in risky leisure activities such as drug abuse. Conclusion The key argument that Auden is forcing out is that people should not get trapped in a situation where they do not like their job because if they do so, they will not enjoy, like and feel free in doing the task. People should strive to change a task into work and not to follow what society demands but what they take pleasure in doing. Auden’s ideas decode the role of play, labor and work in people’s lives. In addition, his works outline the significance and risks of adopting technology in daily human activities and lives. Works Cited Arendt, Hannah. The Human Condition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008. Print. Auden, Hung, and Arthur Kirsch. Lectures on Shakespeare. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press, 2000. Print. Clayre, Alasdair. Work and Play: Ideas and Experience of Work and Leisure. New York: Harper & Row, 2005. Print. Read More