What is work?

Stuff I avoid. I think perhaps unsuccessfully.

What we feel obliged to do.

A task that can be accomplished.

Work = force x distance. That’s the basic equation.

I’m thinking of Hannah Arendt. She defines labor as something you have to do over and over like cleaning the house. But work, you can do it and it’s done like completing a project.

Ok, well for my purposes, we will be using the word work to mean labor then. So can one avoid work?

If you have other suckers to latch onto.

If one doesn’t mind dirty dishes all over the place or if you have servants.

For a while, until your desire for the result exceeds the distaste for the labour.

I think perhaps you cannot avoid work. One way or another, whatever you do, even your efforts to avoid work, are work. So is work only physical?

It can be mental or emotional. Yes, I think emotional turmoil is serious labor.

Figuring out a plan could be work.

Yes, a conversation with some people is work.

Where does work start?

A need. What leads us to this need?

Desire? Yes, certainly at least in part.

Things happen which we must deal with; hunger, pain. Where in our being are we first aware of a need?

Heart? Stomach? Can need arise on its own?

I think so.

Does any state of need arise in some other way?

We may see something we want, or want to achieve. That’s for later. We tend to jump to ambition.

Biological process leads to hunger.

Someone tells you to do something and you feel the need to please them.

Heart and brain in those cases, but things get out of order do they not? Why is this?

Perhaps the chemical processes in our brain lead to the need for stimulation?

Entropy causes work? Entropy is involved in work, yes. As far as cause, I think it’s a chicken versus egg thing there.

You mean the obligation we feel to work causes us to do it before we feel the need? Ah, is there a difference between the felt obligation and the need?

I think so. How so? A true need can’t be denied…obligation can.

It may be a different need?

Obligations denied over time can lead to a state of decay in one’s personal support system. A need can be denied, and over time leads to a decay in one’s life support system. People deny their needs all the time, and suffer harm for it. Where do we avoid harm through denial? Why do we try denial?

Sometimes I think denial is the only thing causing harm.

Does denial ever help?

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~