While I think there is merit to the concept that "workin' hard is for suckas", I mean that only in what our classical conception of what "working hard" means. Our entire industry, this "Information Technology" thing, is fundamentally about making things that allow people to not work hard. Technology is about being lazy, about avoiding effort where effort is not necessary.
Using index cards and typewriters to compose documents is certainly harder work than using a word processor application on a PC. Nobody would ever say there was greater merit in the old way (well, nobody worth paying attention to). It's the distinction between "working hard" and "working smart."
So "hard work" in the classical sense seems to mean "sit down, head down, move the pencil, move the pencil, move the pencil." That's toiling. That's not thinking of more efficient ways to "move the pencil". Working hard is a productivity enhancer, but only in a linear fashion. Technology is a productivity multiplier.
I refer you to the Robert Heinlein short-story "The Tale of the Man Who Was Too Lazy to Fail," which is provided in his magnum opus "Time Enough for Love". We should be "working hard" on finding ways to be lazy. It's through the pursuit of technologies that allow us to be as productive as we are on less effort that make the big advances in productivity, not "working hard".
I hadn't heard of that but I like the title. It reminds me of some personal experiences I've had where I listen to how other people handle certain problems and then think to myself something like "I don't have the time or energy to do things so inefficiently/ineffectively."
Using index cards and typewriters to compose documents is certainly harder work than using a word processor application on a PC. Nobody would ever say there was greater merit in the old way (well, nobody worth paying attention to). It's the distinction between "working hard" and "working smart."
So "hard work" in the classical sense seems to mean "sit down, head down, move the pencil, move the pencil, move the pencil." That's toiling. That's not thinking of more efficient ways to "move the pencil". Working hard is a productivity enhancer, but only in a linear fashion. Technology is a productivity multiplier.
I refer you to the Robert Heinlein short-story "The Tale of the Man Who Was Too Lazy to Fail," which is provided in his magnum opus "Time Enough for Love". We should be "working hard" on finding ways to be lazy. It's through the pursuit of technologies that allow us to be as productive as we are on less effort that make the big advances in productivity, not "working hard".