奇书网

Text A Work（第1页）

TextAWork

—fromThequestofHappiII）

&randRussell

[1]Whetherworkshouldbeplagthecausesofhappinessthecausesofunhappinessmayperhapsberegardedasdoubtfulquestioainlymuchworkwhichisexglyirksome，andanexcessofworkisalainful。Ithiprovidedworkisnotexamouhedullestworkistomostpeoplelesspainfulthahereareinwrades，frommerereliefoftediumuptotheprofous，agtotheheworkaiesoftheworker。Mostoftheeoplehavetodoiseresting，butevensuchworkhasgreatadvaobeginwith，itfillsagoodmanyhoursofthedaywithouttheneedofdegwhatoneshalldo。Mostpeople，whefreetofilltheirowntimeagtotheirchoice，areatalosstothinkofanythingsuffitlypleasahdoiofillleisureihelastproductofcivilization，averyfewpeoplehavereachedthislevel。Moreovertheexerciseofchoiitselftiresome。Excepttopeoplewithunusualiispositivelyagreeabletobetoldwhattodoateachhouroftheday，providedtheordersarenottoou。Mostoftheidlerichsufferunspeakableboredomasthepriceoftheirfreedery。AttimestheymayfiingbiggameinAfrica，orbyflyingroundtheworld，butthenumberofsusationsislimited，especiallyafteryouthispast。Aglythemoreiriworknearlyashardasiftheywerepoor，whileriepartkeepthemselvesbusyiriflesofwhoseearth-shakingimportaheyarefirmlypersuaded。

[2]Workthereforeisdesirable，firsta，asapreventiveofboredom，fortheboredomthatamanfeelswhenheisdoihoughuingworkisasnothinginparisonwiththeboredomthathefeelswhehingtodowithhisdays。Withthisadvantageofworkanotherisassoamelythatitmakesholidaymuchmoredelitheyahavetoworksohardastor，heislikelytofindfarmorezestihananidlemancouldpossiblyfind。

[3]Thesetageofmostpaidworkandofsomeunpaidworkisthatitgivescesofsudopportunitiesforambition。Inmostworksuccessismeasuredbyineandwhileoursotihisisiisoworkisedthatthismeasureceasestobethenaturalooapply。Thedesirethatmeoiheirieasmuchadesireforsuccessasforextrafortsthatahigherineprocure。Howeverdullworkmaybe，itbeesbearableifitisameansofbuildiioheworldatlargeoronlyinone’sowinuityofpurposeisoessentialisofhappihelongrun，andformostmenthiseschieflythroughtheirwork。Ihosewomenwhoselivesareoccupiedwithhouseworkaremuchlessfortuhanorkoutsidethehome。Thedomesticatedwifedoesnotreceivewages，hasteriakenfrantedbyherhusbaiothingofwhatshedoes），andisvaluedbyhimnotforherhouseworkbutforquiteotherqualities。Ofcoursethisdoesnotapplytothosewomenwhoaresuffitlywell-to-dotomakebeautifulhousesaifulgardeheenvyhbors;butsueivelyfew，amajorityhouseworkasmuchassatisfaasworkofotherkindsbrioprofessionalwomen。

[4]Thesatisfaofkillingtimeandsomeoutlethowevermodest，forambitioomostwork，andissuffiakeevenamanwhoseworkisdullhappierohanamanwhohasnoworkatall。Butwhenworkisiiscapableofgivingsatisfaherorderthanmererelieffromtedium。Thekindsofworkinwhichthereissomeimaybearrangedinahierarchy。Ishallbeginwiththosewhiildlyiihosethatareworthytoabsorbthewhiesofagreatman。

[5]Twochiefelemeeresting:first，theexerciseofskill，andsestru。

[6]Everymanwhohasaeunusualskillenjituntilithasbeatterofcourse，oruntilheprovehimself。Thismotivetoactivitybeginsinearlychildhood:aboywhodonhisheadbeesreluttostandodealivesthesamepleasurethatistobederivedfromgamesofskill。Theworkofalaolitimustamoredeleagreatdealofthesamepleasurethatistobederivedfromplayingbridge。Hereofcoursethereisnotonlytheexerciseofskillbuttheoutwittingofaskilledoppohispetitiveeleme，however，theperformanceofdifficultfeatsisagreeable。Amanwhodostuntsinanaeroplahatpleasuresogreatthatforthesakeofitheiswillingtoriskhislife。Iimagianablesurgeon，ihepainfulwhichhisworkisdoisfatheexquisitepreofhisoperations。Thesamekihoughienseform，istobederivedfromagreatdealofworkofahumblerkind。Allskilledleasurable，providedtheskillrequirediseithervariableorcapableofieimprovemeio，itwillceasetwhenamanhasacquiredhismaximumskill。Amanwhorunsthree-mileraceswillceasetofindpleasureinthisowheheageatwhibeathisownpreviousrecord。Fortuhereisaverysiderableamountofcesewskillandamanproving，atailhehasreachedmiddleage。Insomekindsofskilledwork，suchaspolitiple，itseemsthatmeheirbestbetweensixtyahereasoinsuchosawideexperiehermaial。Forthisreasonsuccessfulpolitisareapttobehappierattheageofseventythananyothermenofequalage。Theiroorsiarethemeheheadsofbigbusinesses。

[7]Thereis，however，apossessedbythebestwork，whimoreimportantasasourceofhappihanistheexerciseofskill。Thereistheelementofstruess。Ihoughbynomeansinmost，somethingisbuiltupwhisasamoheworkispleted。Wemaydistinguishstrudestrubythefollowing。Instrutheinitialstateofaffairsisparativelyhaphazard，whilethefinalstateofaffairsembodiesapurpose。Iiohecase;theinitialstateofaffairsembodiesapurpose，whilethefinalstateofaffairsishaphazard，thatistosay，allthatisihedestroyeristoproduceastateofaffairswhibodyapurpose。Thisappliesieralandobviousamelythestruddestruofbuildings。Instrugabuildingapreviouslymadeplaniscarriedout，whereasiroyingitnoolyhowthematerialsaretoliewheionispleted。Destruisofecessaryveryoftenasapreliminarytosubsequentstruthatcaseitispartofawholewhistructive。Butlyamanwilleivitiesofwhichthepurposeisdestructivewithardtoanystruayeafter。Frequentlyhewillcealthisfromhimselfbythebeliefthatheisonlysweepingawayiobuildafresh，butitgenerallypossibletounmaskthispreteisapretense，byaskinghimwhatthesubsequentstruistobe。Onthissubjectitwillbefoundthathewillspeakvaguelyandwithoutenthusiasm，whereasontheprelimiionhehasspokenpredwithzest。Thisappliestoionariesandmilitaristsalesofvioleuated，usuallywithouttheirownkred:thedestruofwhattheyhateistheirrealpurpose，andtheyareparativelyihequestionwhatistoeafterit。NowIythatintheworkofdestruasintheworkofstruaybejoy。Itisafiercerjoy，perhapsatmomeeislessprofoundlysatisfyiheresultisoneinwhichlittlesatisfaistobefound。Youkillyourenemy，andwhenheisdeadyouroisgohesatisfathatyouderivefromvictoryquicklyfades。Theworkofstrutheotherhaed，isdelightfultoplate，andmoreoverisneversofullypletethatthereisnothiodoaboutit。Themostsatisfactorypurposesarethosethatleadoelyfromooaeveringtoadeadend;andiwillbefoundthatstruisagreatersourceofhappihaiowouldbemorecorrecttosaythatthosewhofindsatisfastrudiisfatheloversofdestrufiion，forifonceyouhavebeefilledwithhateyouwillnoteasilyderivefromstruthepleasurewhianwouldderivefromit。

AfterYouRead

KnowledgeFocus

1。Pairwork:Discussthefollowiionswithyourpartner。

1）What，agtotheauthor，aretheadvantagesofdoingworkwhiitselfdullaing?

2）Whatreasivewhehatmostpeoplearereluttodecidewhattodoforthemselves?

3）Whichdoyouthinkismoreunbearable，idlenessorbtediouswork?Why?

4）Whatmakestheauthorthinkthathousewivesarelessfortuhanwoutsidehome?Doyouagreewithhim?Givereasons。

5）Whatkindofskilledworkofferuouspleasuretotheworker?

6）HowdoesRusselldefiruddestru?

7）Whatis，inRussell’sview，themostpowerfulmotiveforwork?

8）Whatdoyouthisthatmakew?

2。Solowork:Decidewhetherthefollowirue（T）orfalse（F）agtowhatyoulearellwhy。

____1）Thereislymuchworkwhichisexglyirksome。

____2）Mostoftheeoplehavetodinitself，andsuchworkhasgreatadvantages。

____3）Mostpeople，whefreetofilltheirowntimeagtotheirchoice，areatalosstothinkofwhattodo。

____4）Tobeabletofillleisureihelastproductofcivilization。

____5）Aglythemoreiriworkhardlyashardasiftheywerepoor。

____6）Workthereforeisdesirable，firsta，asa。

____7）Aageofmostpaidworkandofsomeunpaidworkisthatitgivescesofsuccess。

____8）Thedesirethatmeoiheiriasstrongasthedesireforsuccess。

____9）Womenwhoselivesareoccupiedwithhouseworkaremuchlessfortuhanmen。

____10）Twochiefelemeeresting:first，theexerciseofskill，andsed，destru。