To Work Or Not To Work ... That Is The Question

The term “work” can be defined as “paid employment at a job”. Given that definition, we already have many members of our society who are not “working” at any given time. Most children fall into that category. Those who are officially “retired” fall into that category. Both of these groups could be said to be “excused” from what many in our society consider a requirement – a requirement that all those ABLE to work be REQUIRED to do so. But what are we to say of those who work only part time … or only seasonally? What are we to say of those who are looking for but can’t find employment? If we are to insist that those who are able to work must do so, how are we to guarantee that suitable employment will be available for all when our ever more sophisticated technology is eliminating jobs at an ever increasing pace? What should a “job” be worth? Should some be able to “earn” a living wage by working only a few hours a week while others are unable to “earn” that same living wage no matter how many hours they can realistically work?

Should we, as a society, now be adapting to a world in which “work” must be redefined … a world in which “work” is no longer associated with “wages” … a world in which some minimum standard of living is a “right” rather than something that must be “earned” through paid labor?