large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb_72
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb
English
6138
We have weighed the work of civilization in the balance and found it wanting, since hope is mostly lacking to it, and therefore we see that civilization has bred a dire curse for men. But we have seen also that the work of the world might be carried on in hope and with pleasure if it were not wasted by folly and tyranny, by the perpetual strife of opposing classes. WE HAVE WEIGHED THE WORK OF CIVILIZATION IN THE BALANCE AND FOUND IT WANTING SINCE HOPE IS MOSTLY LACKING TO IT AND THEREFORE WE SEE THAT CIVILIZATION HAS BRED A DIRE CURSE FOR MEN BUT WE HAVE SEEN ALSO THAT THE WORK OF THE WORLD MIGHT BE CARRIED ON IN HOPE AND WITH PLEASURE IF IT WERE NOT WASTED BY FOLLY AND TYRANNY BY THE PERPETUAL STRIFE OF OPPOSING CLASSES
 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. 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. The produce of such work cannot be worth the price of it. Now we have seen that the semi-theological dogma that all labour, under any circumstances, is a blessing to the labourer, is hypocritical and false; that, on the other hand, labour is good when due hope of rest and pleasure accompanies it. Y 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 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 THE PRODUCE OF SUCH WORK CANNOT BE WORTH THE PRICE OF IT NOW WE HAVE SEEN THAT THE SEMI THEOLOGICAL DOGMA THAT ALL LABOR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IS A BLESSING TO THE LABORER IS HYPOCRITICAL AND FALSE THAT ON THE OTHER HAND LABOR IS GOOD WHEN DUE HOPE OF REST AND PLEASURE ACCOMPANIES IT
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb.flac