William Morris: All Desirable Work

Posted by admin on Friday, February 22, 2019

William Morris Money Quote saying that regardless of the actual value of work, it is presumed to be gainful employment and the act of work by itself is seen as valuable, even if it is pointless. William Morris said:
 

 

“It is assumed by most people nowadays that all work is useful, and by most well-to-do people that all work is desirable. Most people, well-to-do or not, believe that, even when a man is doing work which appears to be useless, he is earning his livelihood by it – he is ’employed'” — William Morris

 

 

In this quote, William Morris is critiquing common assumptions about work during his time. Some key points:

• He notes that most people believe all work is useful, while the well-off also think all work is desirable and worthwhile.
• However, Morris argues that even work that seems useless on the surface is still considered “employment” by those who do it, as it provides their livelihood and means of support.
• This implies that the meaning or purpose of work was often overlooked, and any work that generated an income was seen as valid employment by society.

Morris seems to be pointing out a flawed mentality that any work with economic value, even if lacking real utility or fulfillment, was still viewed positively across classes.

He suggests the social and human factors of work were not properly considered beyond just its monetary aspects.

Overall, the quote indicates Morris believed the definitions and assessments of “work”, its uses, and what makes employment desirable needed reexamination beyond superficial or financial measures alone. A broader, more holistic perspective was needed in his view.