I was pointed to an interesting, if confrontational, essay by Bob Black [Wikipedia], an American anarchist and lawyer.

There are some provocative ideas, several of which I fancied quoting. However, I like to mess with things - I’m a messer, you see – and in the interests of impartiality, I was curious as to what that soulless critic good-old Microsoft Word would make of it all.

I heated up the Auto Summary Tool and decided to boil the 6,682 words until they reduced down by 99%. Mmm. Just smell those fumes of evaporating virtual ink.

Here’s the result (after a little formatting):

"The Abolition of Work"
A Microsoft Word ‘1% Auto-Summary’ of Bob Black's 1985 essay,

No one should ever work.

Conservatives support right-to-work laws.
People don't just work, they have "jobs."
What might otherwise be play is work if it's forced.

Work makes a mockery of freedom.
Free time is mostly devoted to getting ready for work,
—–going to work,
—–—–returning from work,
—–—–—–recovering from work.

That problem is the revolt against work.

Even if you aren't killed or crippled while actually working,
You very well might be while going to work,
—–from work,
—–—–looking for work,
—–—–—–trying to forget about work.

Many workers are fed up with work.

No one should ever work.

—–
Thanks Mr. Word. That pretty much sums it up, I think. You can read the full text of “The Abolition of Work” by Bob Black here.

I’ll save my own thoughts on how it relates to art for a future post.