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Work and Labour

In class today we went over the difference between work and labour. According to Arendt (1958) "Labour consists of those things that we do in order to subsist, they have to be done whether we like it or not". From this quote I understand labour as being the activities that need to be done whether we like it or not. The labour that I believe involved with my activity is brushing Bella and cleaning out her feet before we can go out for a ride. When I’m doing these tasks I feel that I am a carer, I am taking responsibility and looking out for my horse, making sure she doesn’t injure herself. I really dont enjoy doing these activities, for me I need to do these but I really dont want to. I need this activity as without it I wouldn’t be able to ride Bella as she could get rashes and stone bruises on her feet. If I didn’t have to do this activity I would enjoy going out for a ride more as doing these things beforehand reduces my motivation to do my activity. 
Arendt (1958) states that "Work is the activity which corresponds to the unnaturalness of human existence". My understanding of this quote meaning that I don't need to ride my horse to survive, I only do it because I enjoy it. When riding I feel like an adventurer when I ride. Like a little girl with no worries in the world. I feel that horse riding for me is work as i choose to do it not get made to do it. If looking at needing to do this activity for me it is because I enjoy it so much that I love to do it. I need this activity in my life as I feel it is a way to relieve stress and get away from the world.




Arendt, H. (1958).  The human condition.  Chicago: Chicago University Press