Work is a Blessing

That's what someone who wrote a book said on NPR as I was listening on the way to work.  I could not agree more.  Work is what prisoners are not allowed to do much, not regularly, not for a profit, not as part of a business or enterprise that makes money ... usually as busy-work or to keep the prison running.  Our prison systems are anti-work, despite every prison expert in all of history saying prisoners should work for their benefit and ours.  Now, for the comparison with antebellum slavery: slaves worked hard ... they were exploited for their labor ... but they were never unemployed or unwanted for their skills or labor. Most ex-slaves admitted that work was good for them and taught them how to work for when they were emancipated.  I know we like to think our society is progressing all the time, but in terms of providing work for people to do, for fostering the sense of belonging, for seeing the products of one's labor, for not needing charity, for self-esteem, for something constructive to do, there is no substitute for hard work.  Society needs its members to work hard; that's the only way to progress.  All the presidential candidates will say they are for job creation.  Let's hope the one elected can deliver.  Right now, there are structural impediments to putting more people to work.  The minimum wage is one of them. Work is a blessing - but only if you can find a job.   

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