large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb_30
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb
English
6138
And yet if there be any work which cannot be made other than repulsive, either by the shortness of its duration or the intermittency of its recurrence, or by the sense of special and peculiar usefulness (and therefore honour) in the mind of the man who performs it freely,—if there be any work which cannot be but a torment to the worker, what then? Well, then, let us see if the heavens will fall on us if we leave it undone, for it were better that they should. AND YET IF THERE BE ANY WORK WHICH CANNOT BE MADE OTHER THAN REPULSIVE EITHER BY THE SHORTNESS OF ITS DURATION OR THE INTERMITTENCY OF ITS RECURRENCE OR BY THE SENSE OF SPECIAL AND PECULIAR USEFULNESS AND THEREFORE HONOUR IN THE MIND OF THE MAN WHO PERFORMS IT FREELY IF THERE BE ANY WORK WHICH CANNOT BE BUT A TORMENT TO THE WORKER WHAT THEN WELL THEN LET US SEE IF THE HEAVENS WILL FALL ON US IF WE LEAVE IT UNDONE FOR IT WERE BETTER THAT THEY SHOULD
questions fully or authoritatively would be attempting the impossibility of constructing a scheme of a new society out of the materials of the old, before we knew which of those materials would disappear and which endure through the evolution which is leading us to the great change. Yet it is not difficult to conceive of some arrangement whereby those who did the roughest work should work for the shortest spells. And again, what is said above of the variety of work applies specially here. Once more I say, that for a man to be the whole of his life hopelessly engaged in performing one repulsive and never-ending task, is an arrangement fit enough for the hell imagined by theologians, but scarcely fit for any other form of society. Lastly, if this rougher work were of any special kind, we may suppose that special volunteers would be called on to perform it, who would surely be forthcoming, unless men in a state of freedom should lose the sparks of manliness which they possessed as slaves. ANSWER SUCH QUESTIONS FULLY OR AUTHORITATIVELY WOULD BE ATTEMPTING THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF CONSTRUCTING A SCHEME OF A NEW SOCIETY OUT OF THE MATERIALS OF THE OLD BEFORE WE KNEW WHICH OF THOSE MATERIALS WOULD DISAPPEAR AND WHICH ENDURE THROUGH THE EVOLUTION WHICH IS LEADING US TO THE GREAT CHANGE YET IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO CONCEIVE OF SOME ARRANGEMENT WHEREBY THOSE WHO DID THE ROUGHEST WORK SHOULD WORK FOR THE SHORTEST SPELLS AND AGAIN WHAT IS SAID ABOVE OF THE VARIETY OF WORK APPLIES SPECIALLY HERE ONCE MORE I SAY THAT FOR A MAN TO BE THE WHOLE OF HIS LIFE HOPELESSLY ENGAGED IN PERFORMING ONE REPULSIVE AND NEVER ENDING TASK IS AN ARRANGEMENT FIT ENOUGH FOR THE HELL IMAGINED BY THEOLOGIANS BUT SCARCELY FIT FOR ANY OTHER FORM OF SOCIETY LASTLY IF THIS ROUGHER WORK WERE OF ANY SPECIAL KIND WE MAY SUPPOSE THAT SPECIAL VOLUNTEERS WOULD BE CALLED ON TO PERFORM IT WHICH WOULD SURELY BE FORTHCOMING UNLESS MEN IN A STATE OF FREEDOM SHOULD LOSE THE SPARKS OF MANLINESS WHICH THEY POSSESSED AS SLAVES
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