"I work therefore I am European: metamorphosis of Labour“
Jean Monnet Project of the EU and Università degli Studi di Torino
Bruxelles, 9-11 November 2017
Professor Emanuele Pinelli, PhD
INACTIVITY AND ITS DISADVANTAGES:
VOICES FROM THE ANCIENT ROME
Robotic revolution is
considered unavoidable by
most of public opinion…
…and forces us to
face the problem of
non-labour
Two possible scenarios:
a)People excluded from production
and service cycles will not have means
of survival at all (clearly negative)
b)Such people will receive their means
of survival also without engaging
themselves in any activity (looks
positive)
What else society displayed a similar situation?
In the slavery-grounded society of Imperial Rome, the whole upper
class had the concrete chance to choose an income-granted and
consummation based lifestyle, called «leisure lifestyle», in alternative
to service based «public lifestyle» and «philosophical lifestyle»
Did they find something dangerous inside it for
both the Individual and the State?
But what did wise men and educators of that society
think about the «leisure lifestyle» option?
(especially Stoics, the most successful among them)
L. A. Seneca,
eight Letter to Lucilius:
“Are you (had demanded
astonished Lucilius) giving
me the order to avoid crowd,
to set me aside, and to be
satisfied of this choice in my
conscience?
Where are, then, all your
stoic precepts which
command to be active even in
the moment we die?"
«What?» (answers
Seneca)«You think I am
suggesting you
inactivity?»
«Me too, I don't waste in
leisure any day, I
sacrifice to studies even
part of the night, I
always fell asleep rather
than going to sleep, and
I do every effort to keep
open my eyes while
they're closing after a
long eve»
Seneca had to apologize even just for
his «philosophical lifestyle»,
showing its deep differences with a
leisure / consummation one.
In fact, Stoic (and generally Roman)
mind recommended above all public
engagement.
«I’m doing this in the interest of
future generations»
(Eight letter to
Lucilius)
«When should a wise man choose
retirement? When he’s sure that still
then he could do something useful
for future generations»
(Essay on
Retirement)
«Hidden in retirement too, he shall
desire to help Individuals and the
Universe with his reason, his voice,
his wisdom” (
Essay on Tranquillity of Soul)
How could help us eighty
years wasted in inactivity?
Action, not time, is the
unity of measure of our life
Seneca, Letter 93
Panetius
Philosopher born in the
island of Rodi
(185 – 109 b.C.)
Personal friend to Scipio
He had brought in Roman
Stoicism the worship of
activity, above all public
engagement
So a first principle in Stoic mind was:
Man has the duty to be useful to society
And a second one was:
Effort is good for itself
(not just for some future benefit)
“I do every effort to keep open my eyes
while they're closing after a long eve…”
In his eleventh
Diatribe, Seneca’s
contemporary
Musonio Rufo
claimed that
for a wise man was
not degrading, on
the contrary, was
quite recommended
to gain his means of
subsistence farming
a field, even a field
he didn't own.
He also sentenced that a wise man had the duty to get
married and rise up lots of children
(Diatribes n° 13, 14, 15)
Both agricultural and familiar activities satisfied Stoics
criteria of being close to nature and useful for other men
Already Chrysippus, one of the
fathers of Greek Stoicism (+205 b.C.),
had recommended both agricultural
and familiar activity
In Imperial Roman age, he had
been quoted about this topic by
Philo Judaeus inside a commentary
on the first chapters of Genesis
But none among the Stoics accorded legitimacy to an
inactive (or better, based on consummation rather than on
service) lifestyle. Otherwise, such a choice wouldn’t be
innocent at all. Refusing to live as a wise man meant
becoming an element who weakened society
“Outlaw, rebel and fugitive, not involved in any
righteous or good deed, enemy of humanity and
community” called him Chrysippus, according to Philo.
“Transfuga a lege, rebellis et contumax, nullius rei iustorum aut bonorum
particeps, inimicus humanitatis et communitatis"
In conclusion:
Though the whole upper class of Imperial
Rome had the chance to choose a lifestyle
based on consummation and inactivity (or
perhaps because of it?) Stoics firmly rejected
this option.
On the other hand, Stoics considered noble
and recommended some activities, like
taking care of family or doing intellectual
research, which today we still rarely include
among labour activities. Starting to do this
could be a good first step to face the
challenge of non-labor.
Emanuele Pinelli
• Author
• Professor of Philosophy
• Maestro of Flute
• Lives in Rome
• Responsible citizen
emmanuele.pinelli@gmail.com
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