Schumacher\u00a0pointed out that from the perspective of the employer, work is a bad thing. \u00a0It represents a cost. \u00a0It is to be minimised. \u00a0If possible eradicated \u2013 handed over to a robot. \u00a0This truth always makes me smile when the government talks of the private sector \u2018creating jobs\u2019.<\/p>\n
From the perspective of the worker too it is \u00a0often a bad\u00a0thing. What Schumacher called a \u2018disutility<\/a>\u2018. A temporary but significant\u00a0sacrifice\u00a0of \u2018leisure and comfort\u2019 for which compensation is earned.<\/p>\n Schumacher pointed toward a Buddhist perspective where work serves three purposes:<\/p>\n He then went on to say<\/p>\n to organize work in such a manner that it becomes meaningless, boring, stultifying, or nerve-racking for the worker would be little short of criminal; it would indicate a greater concern with goods than with people, an evil lack of compassion and a soul-destroying degree of attachment to the most primitive side of this worldly existence<\/p><\/blockquote>\n What\u00a0can\u00a0we do to make sure that more of our work is \u2018good work\u2019 and not merely a disutility for which we are compensated?<\/p>\n What products and services do we really need for a \u2018becoming existence\u2019.<\/p>\n This for me is the true role of the \u2018Social Enterprise\u2019 sector in our economy. \u00a0The development of good work. \u00a0The enhancement of association and compassion. \u00a0To provide a real alternative to the mainstream ‘work as profitable disutility’ philosophy of much (but not all) of the private sector.<\/p>\n And there is no good reason why we should not take sufficient\u00a0value\u00a0from our business to lead a \u2018becoming existence\u2019 is there?<\/p>\n I\u2019m trying to learn just to\u00a0die<\/em> with\u00a0pride<\/em>,<\/p>\n Like the birds and the trees and the earth in time<\/p>\n But I\u2019ve got this complex and it makes me fear,<\/p>\n That I\u2019ll die knowing nothing and feeling less.<\/p>\n Hope and Social<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Now, anyone for some truly social enterprise?<\/p>\n\n