"Doing the Work" [17/05/2008 @ 09:19] I think eldriwolf is on to something with the idea that we should find another word than "work" to describe what we do, what skills we develop, what relationships we seek and maintain. The American "work ethic" is not life-affirming, not creative, does not mix well with the ethics of Witchcraft. There's other memetic thoughts in here... the process of giving birth should not have the same name as the process of digging ditches. Glorifying "work" as the most noble activity a person can do is not part of my goals, not part of my values. The whole labor revolution--the 40-hour workweek the unions fought for, the insistence on paid sick leave & vacation time, the growing number of silly kitchen gadgets (and some incredibly useful kitchen gadgets--this week, I love my fridge), are all about *eliminating* work and the need for work. Work is not something we should treasure. Work is something you have to do towards a goal... work, in itself, is not valuable. Finding a way to reach the goal without work, or with less of it, should be rewarded. If the goal involves activity, and that activity is desirable in itself, *that activity should not be called work*. Call it play. Or art. Or active creativity. Or expression. ("The real test of a Feri is not initiation, but whether s/he's expressed Feri through his/her life.") Maybe we need brainstorming to find a new word.

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