—fromTheConquestofHappiness (PartII)
BertrandRussell
[1], , however, thatprovidedworkisnotexcessiveinamount, , frommerereliefoftediumuptotheprofoundestdelights , , , , whentheyareleftfreetofilltheirowntimeaccordingtotheirchoice, , , , orbyflyingroundtheworld, butthenumberofsuchsensationsislimited, , whilerichwomenforthemostpartkeepthemselvesbusyinnumerabletriflesofwhoseearth-shakingimportancetheyarefirmlypersuaded.
[2]Workthereforeisdesirable, firstandforemost ,asapreventiveofboredom,, , heislikelytofindfarmorezestinhisfreetimethananidlemancouldpossiblyfind.
[3], , itbecomesbearableifitisameansofbuildingupareputation, whetherintheworldatlargeoronlyinone’, , , hasnomeansofbetteringherself, istakenforgrantedbyherhusband (whoseespracticallynothingofwhatshedoes), -to-dotomakebeautifulhousesandbeautifulgardensandbecometheenvyoftheirneighbors; butsuchwomenarecomparativelyfew, andforthegreatmajorityhouseworkcannotbringasmuchassatisfactionasworkofotherkindsbringstomenantoprofessionalwomen.
[4]Thesatisfactionofkillingtimeandofaffordingsomeoutlethowevermodest, forambition, belongstomostwork, , .
[5]Twochiefelementsmakeworkinteresting: first, theexerciseofskill, andsecond, construction.
[6]Everymanwhohasacquiredsomeunusualskillenjoysexercisingituntilithasbecomeamatterofcourse,: , however, , inspiteofthepainfulcircumstancesinwhichhisworkisdone, , thoughinalessintenseform,, , , , suchaspolitics, forexample, itseemsthatmenareattheirbestbetweensixtyandseventy, .
