Labor Day! labor, work + action (2/...)

today, on labor day, we delve deeper into the world of Labor. moving a step beyond the definitions set forth by hannah arendt, we seek truth as to what disparities exist + what expanded understandings of Labor might yield a more free existence.

(for some context, check out part 1 of this series here)

Labor

those who Labor are involved in the hustle of keeping their heads above water. in capitalism, Labor has grown to include the processing of almost every object existing within the framework, especially for those of lower economic status. our day to day efforts narrowly keep a roof over our head as we spend a majority of our waking hours in the creation of goods or services that will be quickly used up. an excess of Labor, which by definition leaves one with minimal control over their future, enters the human psyche into fight or flight mode and initiates cortisol production. a majority of jobs turning into Labor leads to a majority of individuals fighting brain chemistry induced anxiety + depression - a situation that many living in western societies in the 2020’s can relate to.

two steps need to be taken in order to end Labor's control over the majority of us and allow us to use it as the tool that it should be. firstly, Labor must be more evenly partitioned so that all are involved, in some aspect or another, with its continuance. in the same way that those born peasants or new immigrants have been leveraged across the generations for the most menial jobs, the majority of us are being leveraged as cogs in a Labor wheel that keeps capitalistic economies spinning. if all (ie those who have only been involved in Work and/or Action) take part in the Laboring process, then it encourages very tightly defined restrictions on what Labor is: which yields our second step. if Labor creates that which doesn't last, but all are required to have a hand in it in order to partake in society, then perhaps some more thought will be put into what is being created with our time. the possibility of all being involved in Labor extends slightly beyond the scope of this essay (if we want to keep it under 50,000 words...which is for sure an aim) but we can begin the discussion of what should be kept on as Labor that we all join in together and partake in.

Labor as a differentiation from our current predicament of being stuck in the mouse wheel must be limited to its strictest terms and seen through the isolated lens of, “is this necessary for our survival?” the continuation of humanity, both on the individual basis and as a homo sapien species, is of a high priority. acts of Labor can be thought of as those that fulfill the majority of the base two layers of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: fresh air, food, water, sleep, homeostasis, excretion, security of body, employment, resources, health, and an adjusted idea of property (ie. not the conglomeration of land +resources to profit off the labor of others). the practice of Labor viewed through this context inspires inclusion of all citizens in its achievement and outcome. it also must be limited in its scope in order to stay as true as possible to this definition.

the building blocks can be broken down to, and stem from:

• food on the table
• infrastructure
• health + wellbeing
• education
• safety + sanitation

a starting point for Labor understanding can begin with comparison with the practices that most humans partake in at home. those who heed their dentists brush and floss their teeth every day. this practice is complete as soon as it’s done: there is nothing to show the world or that which would hold a place in history for future generations to glean truth, joy, or use from. it is instantly consumed. it also is necessary for survival in the way that going even a few days without it would lead to tooth decay, potential infections, and, much like those poor antiquitous ancestors who inhabited the portion of history after the agricultural revolution but before any functional paste was available, death.

there is no question surrounding tooth brushing. there is also no hesitation about the necessity of washing dishes, something that keeps potentially harmful bacteria and small animals away from the abode. the conversation starts to get interesting when it begins exploring where the cutoff is between absolute necessity and that which is done not merely on the basis of survival, but more out of an increased standard for what day to day living looks and feels like. excluding the predication of spilled dangerous materials, sweeping a wood floor can hardly be considered a frontier between life and death, yet it is something that occurs multiple times a week in most homes and life progresses alongside its completion. life sustains with no tooth decay, life improves with no crumbs underfoot.

the hours can be based on what the needs are for each portion of society, given the number of members in each community. we as laborers have been forced into busywork or financially salient efforts, while being societally unnecessary, without regard for the true needs of the community. imagine if our Labor was instead directly in response to what is required to maintain the bottom two levels of maslow's hierarchy - how much more time and energy would we have to chase efforts that add to the human edifice and make this living experience more full and beautiful?

this would require a diversification of each of our roles, so that the community can have a cushion to continue to thrive. rigid requirements do not necessitate uniformity in application. democracy must decide the What and Why for tasks to be completed: the needs of any given community are most attentively broken down and next steps prescribed by those who are actually living in the situation. an authoritarian approach will not suffice here.

Labor need not inundate our existence as modern humans. there can be minimum viable workloads placed on each of us, as somewhat alluded to by tim ferris in his four hour workweek though in an individualistic way. this is not a denigration of hard work, but rather calling into question what we are working hard towards. the minimum required is quite a bit less than the system would have us believe, i fear.

there is no short term solution that could flick a button to adjust the entire framework within which our society functions, but what i would ask your takeaway to be is to look at the roles that each of our jobs are fulfilling. what portion of them is truly making life a more well lived experience - or even just assisting with survival! - and which are only existing to maneuver economic power from one person/group to another. to those of us involved in the Labor of keeping humanity afloat, i cheers you today and always!