"The daily job" , by Erik Pevernagie, oil on canvas, 100 x 130 cm

For some work is a duty. For others it is a choice. For a number labor is not a value.

Many hate the magic roundabout of daily life,” Métro, boulot, dodo” ("commute, work, sleep"). They get sick of the nine to five jobs. They want to walk free from the same old routine, work, work, work. They don’t want to belong to the category of the day-in, day-outers, the grinders.

For many, however, routine creates a sense of security. You needn’t think. You haven’t got to worry. Just follow the usual track. They call the others, simply, parasites or spongers and consider NEETs as underachieving losers. While they are slogging and doing their daily job, the others are just goofing off or goldbricking.

Other social groups have a different viewpoint: “Workers of the world unite and make fun!”

Paul Lafargue, French revolutionary Marxist writer, explains his views in his book: "The Right to Be Lazy". He considers laziness as a value on its own. " The Greeks in their era of greatness had only contempt for work: their slaves alone were permitted to labor: the free man knew only exercises for the body and mind."

Bertrand Russell, wants to convince us that labor tends to cause unhappiness, therefore, the quantity of labor ought to be lessened. ("In Praise of Idleness")

Wage slavery is involved if livelihood depends totally on wages, which causes social stratification, with threat of starvation, poverty and social stigma . Intensification of labour leads to stress, which can lead to burnouts. The possibility of sponsoring laziness or, at least, of providing a basic salary to every citizen, has been discussed by some Western countries.

Phenomenon: Labour, laziness

Factual starting point of the picture: Man walking to office