“Labor ennobles man, ” - said the people of the older generation, post-war and until the collapse of the USSR. Then, somehow, the statement began to lose its former glory.
Who said this phrase for the first time? It is known that it belongs to the popular literary critic Vissarion Belinsky. His works during the years of the existence of Soviet power and the USSR were widely propagated. Belinsky's articles on the analysis of the works of classics were studied in a secondary school. Why was his opinion significant for the state?
Belinsky and socialist realism
The views of the critic largely coincided with the ideology of the socialist state. He was an atheist and developed advanced ideas. In many ways, Belinsky was the founder of literary criticism. He established new canons in understanding poetry and prose. Belinsky set the vector for the development of literary creativity as a kind of political mechanism capable of influencing the thinking of the people.
The idea of Vissarion Belinsky that labor ennobles a person was taken as the basis by the ideologists of socialist realism and began to develop in the right direction.
On labor in a socialist state
The man of labor in the USSR was a state fetish. Propaganda of shock constructions was in full swing: on the radio and on television in the program "Time" broadcast news about the pace and progress of work. BAM, Dneproges and other projects took on the lion's share of attention and propaganda. The state needed a lot of inexpensive labor to build the largest industrial facilities.
Moreover. The movement "Drummer of Socialist Labor" developed. They issued and presented awards - orders and medals. All over the world, the names of famous miners, combines, and milkmaids rattled then. Their names were immortalized in paintings, films were shot about them and books were written. The one who said “Labor ennobles man” did a great job, contributed to the political life of the country.
Attitudes towards parasitism
It has become fashionable to use the word "parasite". This was a man who did not officially work anywhere. Now he would be called a freelancer. Moreover, parasitism provided for an article in the legislation of the country, which was followed by administrative and judicial penalties.
That is, there was a cult of labor. It was a shame not to work. In certain years, the USSR even carried out raids of detachments of voluntary people's squads (DND), which "sought out" parasites among the working day in cinemas, squares and other places.
And from the huge posters and television screens, the ruddy winners of socialist competitions, the symbols of five-year plans, drummers and heroes of the Komsomol construction projects smiled at the people. Such work in a society created by the socialist revolution really made a man noble. And in his own eyes, and, more importantly, in the eyes of a conscious public!
Many other sayings about labor are known. For example, A. Blok: he says that the word "labor" is written on a revolutionary banner. Labor is sacred, it gives people the opportunity to live, educates character.
I. Aivazovsky said that for him to live means to work. And he also wrote about the ease that can be obtained by "hard work."
About work in general
But what really is? Leveling, low labor costs, difficult conditions or an incredible race in pursuit of records. It looks like a "medal" on the reverse side.
Gorky has a quote in which he states that if work is a pleasure, then life is good too. And if to work is a necessity, then the existence of man turns into slavery. This view is very humane. It would seriously compete with the words of Belinsky in our time.
From the point of view of physiology and psychology, it is human nature to want to develop. It is inherent in nature. Labor is a good helper in this. But it is noticed that if work is a burden, the result will be negative. From year to year doing unloved business, people experience tremendous psychological overload. And the body reacts with disease and depression.
Can slave labor ennoble anyone? A hobby naturally comes to the rescue. It saves a lot of people from extreme acts. But in general, labor, as violence against oneself, is contrary to human nature. And against it without consequences, "no arguing." All statements about labor fade before health problems and mental illness.
Work ennoblement
If you do what you love, you can stop the habit of pronouncing the word "work." If you give a person the opportunity to find himself, his profession or direction, he can be transformed. The phrase "labor ennobles man", the meaning of which was previously incomprehensible, immediately acquires its direct meaning.
While doing what they love, people tend to know more about it. They want to get new skills. The intellect of a person develops, his soul. There is a saying among the people: "If you do not want to work, find your favorite job." The truth lies in this. Labor ennobles a person when it pushes him to self-development.
Vissarion Belinsky, of course, did not know in what context history would use his statement. But it is believed that he had in mind the work that a person does with pleasure for himself. From which he can receive not only material benefits, but also deep moral satisfaction.
Many great poets, writers, politicians understood this. Here are more examples (how labor ennobles) the statements of great people.
O. Balzac wrote about work as a permanent law of life and art.
W. Weitling said that the two essential conditions of social life are work and enjoyment.
F. Voltaire said that living means working, and that a person’s life consists of labor.
