h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

estimate the impact of the work on the human psyche? let all those who think that on the whole the impact is negative raise hands

work, work

Work is the bane of our existence, but essential. Take away someone's work and they will wander aimlessly, feeling unsatisfied. Or so I've been told. I think I could probably handle it.

Work is often confused with our jobs. We cannot live without work - something to provide us with the satisfaction of having done something well that benefits out life. Unfortunatley, many people's jobs don't reflect this basic need.


az

right, you almost had me convinced! but wouldn't be great if we could lie somewhere on some caribbian beach and still feel satisfied

I think you - and anyone - would soon get bored with lying on a beach all day. You would soon think of other stuff to do. And this would be your personal 'work'.


az

To take a very traditional view, you can do both: The satisfaction of work comes from having completed a task.

So you can do that and then go and lay on the beach, satisfied with yourself and your day's (or morning's, or hour's) work. It helps if you work somewhere in the Caribbean, of course.

I think Shakespeare said something about play becoming arduous if you do it long enough.

Why did he write so many arduous plays, then?

Well, you'd need to get food and shelter from somewhere. I would probably feel fine about not working if I still had the creature comforts.

Guru, the quote you're looking for is:

If all the year were playing holidays
To sport would be as tedious as to work,
But when they seldom come, they wished for come.

It's said by Prince Hal in his soliloquy in Henry IV, Part I. I can't give you Act and Scene numbers, but the quote has stuck in my mind since I did that play for my English Lit. 'O' Level. It's so true!

Henry IV, Pt. 1, act 1, sc. 2

I knew Googling would take all day to find it.