--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But is work something we have a right to…" description: "\"“But is work something we have a right to escape? And can we escape it with impunity? We are probably the first entire people ever to think so. All the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/wendell-berry-236_ancient-wisdom_but-is-work-something-we-have-a-right-to_1579522.jpg" --- # But is work something we have a right to escape? And can… ![“But is work something we have a right to escape? And can we escape it with impunity? We are probably the first entire people ever to think so. All the ancient wisdom that has come down to us counsels otherwise. It tells us that work is necessary to us, as much a part of our condition as mortality…” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/wendell-berry-236_ancient-wisdom_but-is-work-something-we-have-a-right-to_1579522.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/wendell-berry-236_ancient-wisdom_but-is-work-something-we-have-a-right-to_1579522.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/998/wendell-berry-236_ancient-wisdom_but-is-work-something-we-have-a-right-to_1579522.jpg) > ““But is work something we have a right to escape? And can we escape it with impunity? We are probably the first entire people ever to think so. All the ancient wisdom that has come down to us counsels otherwise. It tells us that work is necessary to us, as much a part of our condition as mortality; that good work is our salvation and our joy; that shoddy or dishonest or self-serving work is our curse and our doom. We have tried to escape the sweat and sorrow promised in Genesis--only to find that, in order to do so, we must forswear love and excellence, health and joy.”” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Work is an essential part of human life, providing purpose, joy, and moral grounding; escaping it undermines our humanity. **In simple terms:** Work gives meaning and joy; avoiding it harms us. Key Takeaway Embrace work with integrity and find purpose in it. Themes work purpose human condition ethics Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career - creative projects - daily tasks Key Concepts meaningful labor social responsibility personal fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of your work bring you joy? - How can you balance duty with well‑being? A Different Perspective Idealizing work can cause burnout if not balanced with rest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-wisdom/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Escape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escape/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [ \[All the ancient wisdom\] tells us that work is necessary to us, as much a part of our condition as mortality; that good work… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/all-the-ancient-wisdom-tells-us-that-work-is-necessary-to-us-as-much/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The executive branch of this government never has, nor will suffer, while I preside, any improper conduct of its officers to escape with impunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-executive-branch-of-this-government-never-has-nor-will-suffer/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [“I will purge my mind of the airy claims of church and state, and observe the ancient wisdom of tribesman and peasant, who understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-will-purge-my-mind-of-the-airy-claims-of-church-and-state-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Work is not a curse, but drudgery is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/work-is-not-a-curse-but-drudgery-is/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [We don't consider manual work as a curse, or a bitter necessity, not even as a means of making a living. We consider it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/we-don-t-consider-manual-work-as-a-curse-or-a-bitter-necessity-not/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [Work is the curse of the drinking classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/work-is-the-curse-of-the-drinking-classes/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Always you have been told that work is a curse and labor a misfortune. But I say to you that when you work you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/always-you-have-been-told-that-work-is-a-curse-and-labor-a-misfortune/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Work is not the curse, but drudgery is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/work-is-not-the-curse-but-drudgery-is/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Too much work, and no vacation, Deserves at least a small libation. So hail! my friends, and raise your glasses, Work's the curse of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/too-much-work-and-no-vacation-deserves-at-least-a-small-libation-so/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I saw what it means to work every weekend and every night, and I realized it doesn't work for me. It's not necessary. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-zucchelli/i-saw-what-it-means-to-work-every-weekend-and-every-night-and-i/) [Italo Zucchelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-zucchelli/) > [All work which is necessary ennobles him who performs it. Only one thing is shameful - to contribute nothing to the community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/all-work-which-is-necessary-ennobles-him-who-performs-it-only-one/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [I did it as first lady, I did it as a senator, I did it as secretary of state, and I know how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-did-it-as-first-lady-i-did-it-as-a-senator-i-did-it-as-secretary-of/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Work was always necessary to survive. Then I decided the goal should be to survive without working. But now I have much more work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurizio-cattelan/work-was-always-necessary-to-survive-then-i-decided-the-goal-should/) [Maurizio Cattelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurizio-cattelan/) > [“There’s a common misconception that work is necessary. You will meet people working at miserable jobs. They tell you they are “making a living”.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/there-s-a-common-misconception-that-work-is-necessary-you-will-meet/) [Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/) > [In science it is not enough to think of an important problem on which to work. It is also necessary to know the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-szilard/in-science-it-is-not-enough-to-think-of-an-important-problem-on-which/) [Leo Szilard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-szilard/) ## More by Wendell Berry > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/during-the-last-17-years-i-have-been-working-at-the-restoration-of-a/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. 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They call for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/it-is-true-that-neither-the-ancient-wisdoms-nor-the-modern-sciences/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Animals are not only beholders of great beauty, but they are also beholders of ancient wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-friedenfeld/animals-are-not-only-beholders-of-great-beauty-but-they-are-also/) [Molly Friedenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-friedenfeld/) > [Modern physics is describing what the ancient wisdom keepers of the Americas have long known. 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