Toil (concept)

For the non-charting 2012 punk album, see Toil.
For the 1890 book, see Toil (Tolstoy book).

The concept of toil (Greek ponos) is a concept of burdensome hard labour, or manual work, typically finding in such labour positive aspects such honesty or dignity.

In classical antiquity

Antisthenes, the founder of Cynicism, dedicated his school to Hercules hero of impossible labours, in order to exemplarize his concept of toil - ponos, elevating it from something men avoid to something of dignity.[1] Within cynic exercises of ponos, toil, were both gymnasia, labour of the body, and logia, exercise of the soul. Some scholars consider that Antisthenes also consider a third kind of toil to exist in training to suffer disrepute.[2] The concept extended into Greek medicine also as Hippocrates saw ponos, toil, and pathos, suffering as being part of the body's response to disease.[3]

In Judaism and Christianity

The concept of toil as a positive virtue, following from the punishment on Adam in Genesis 3:19, "In the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread," is found in Judaism,[4][5] in Catholic,[6] and in the Protestant work ethic.[7][8] The virtue of labour in Christian context can be seen in art and music such as Holst's anthem Man born to toil and Nikolai Medtner's piano of the Hymn in Praise of Toil Op. 49/1.

In economics

The concept of "toil" where it occurs in social politics and economics contexts is often emphatic of ideas of justice and reward for hard labour in the economic system.[9][10]

References

  1. ↑ Giovanni Reale, John R. Catan History of Ancient Philosophy 1985 p 268 "But Antisthenes, in order to underline his exalted concept of toil, of ponos (novos), consecrated his School to Heracles, the hero of legendary and apparently impossible labors. This notion of burdensome labor also meant a drastic rupture with the common sentiment, because it elevated to the highest dignity and value that which most men flee from."
  2. ↑ Sara Ahbel-Rappe, Rachana Kamtekar -A Companion to Socrates 2009 1405192607- Page 87 "... which necessarily involved large degrees of ponos (“toil” or “labor”) (VA 85, 97, 113, 134). For Antisthenes, and perhaps Diogenes as well, this exercise and toil have at least three components, of which two are neatly juxtaposed as physical ... to train the body and mental exercises, logoi, to train the soul (VA 163, with Caizzi's emended text; Diogenes Laertius, ... trains one's self-image or self-esteem: to suffer disrepute in popular opinion, which is of course untrained and corrupt, "
  3. ↑ George S. Everly, Jr., Jeffrey M. Lating A Clinical Guide to the Treatment of the Human Stress Response 2012 1461455383 "Twenty-four centuries previously, Hippocrates had written that disease was not only pathos (suffering) but also ponos (toil) as the body fought to restore normalcy. While ponos might have sufficed, the Greeks also settled "
  4. ↑ Shmuli Zalmanov The Rebbe's Children 1312924918 Page 233 "Therefore, it is better for him not to use his energy and time, delving into argumentation that disturb or reduce the concept of toil and diligence, with the whole Shturem, ..."
  5. ↑ Burton L. Mack A Myth of Innocence: Mark and Christian Origins 1991 -- Page 160 "The other is that, while the Rabbis accepted the Greek virtue of "toil" and its rewards, the parables of Jesus excised this theme (143)."
  6. ↑ Philip O'Leary Gaelic Prose in the Irish Free State, 1922-1939 0271025239 2004- Page 161 "The concept of toil De is, for example, used ironically by Seamus O Grianna in 'Grasta o Dhia ar Mhici' (God's grace on Mickey);300 and by Leon 6 Broin in 'An Bhtighdeach' (The Bride);301 and for comic effect by An tAthair Gearoid 6 Nuallain ..."
  7. ↑ Jill M. Hudson Evaluating Ministry: Principles and Processes for Clergy 1992 1566995191 p6 "Grounded in Theolegy Americans have been strongly influenced by what we commonly call “The Protestant Work Ethic. ... instead on Genesis 3:17-19 when God casts Adam and Eve from the garden and sentences them to a life of toil."
  8. ↑ Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan, Karen Jo Torjesen Women and Christianity 0313082715 2009 - Page xviii "Social ethicist Pamela K. Brubaker investigates women's political activism in relation to United States' Christian and interfaith organizations: the ... She uses the concept of “toil” to frame the description and quality of paid or unpaid work, when it .."
  9. ↑ Elisabetta Basile Capitalist Development in India's Informal Economy 2013 p201 "The concept of 'toil' is suggestive as it recalls the hard working conditions of agrarian classes; yet it does not explain the entrepreneurial transformation of the Gounder caste from agriculturists to small-scale industrialists."
  10. ↑ Sonia Marie Scott Architectures of Economic Subjectivity: 0415699215 2012 p 62 "All are merchants because they cannot sufficiently produce to meet their needs, and all exchange the abstract concept of toil (as a marginal wager) on the market as their currency."

External links

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