what is the place of work within the human condition today?

i have burned many a brain cell on this question in the last week and haven’t really come to any hard conclusions and yet it’s always in the back of my mind, …..

what is work?…

work is an artificial construct used to help shape our worlds

work is an activity that you perform in exchange for currency

Most people do not get to own the product of their work (which is one of the main points of Marxism that i do agree with)

why do we work?

to buy/collect material possessions that make us feel complete or happy

to create a better future for our children

to be able to retire and enjoy leisure

to pursue goals and dreams

i think what i’m having problems with is that, i’m finding it difficult not to view work strictly in the arendtian sense of labor, work and action.  i agree with quite a few of her assertions but it bothers me that i’m having a hard time taking a step back and objectively viewing work from every angle i.e. marx, lao tzu, aurelius, et. al.   i keep coming back to arendt.

And then there’s the problem of defining the human condition and what exactly it is, can their even be a definition? i think previously i tentatively described the human condition as a search or a connection with the sublime.   i suppose by default, if one doesn’t search or have  a connection to the sublime, your not fully human.  is that something that i actually agree with? can i support it? do i even  want to…?  i need to take a break and maybe hash this out verbally w/ carmen….