A young worker at the C & NW RR 40th Street shops, Chicago, Ill, photograph by Jack Delano, 1942. Library of Congress.

A young worker at the C & NW RR 40th Street shops, Chicago, Illinois, 1942. Photograph by Jack Delano. Library of Congress.

Lines of Work

Volume IV, Number 2 | spring 2011

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Women become skilled shop technicians after careful training in the school at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant, Long Beach, CA, photograph by Alfred T. Palmer, 1942. Library of Congress.

Preamble

The Servant Problem

By Lewis H. Lapham

It is man’s nature to be doing something, or at least to fancy that he’s doing something, but to what purpose?

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Treasure Hunt

By Alain de Botton

A person’s vocation has become more than a job—it should transform us into who we are.

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Map

Cornering the Market

The countries that rule the industries.

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1992 | Chicago

Always Be Closing

David Mamet’s death of a real estate salesman.More

c. 30 BC | Lombardy

Work Ethic

Virgil on the relentless efforts of early man.More

1935 | New York City

Unemployment Benefits

Down and out in New York City.More

Charts & Graphs

Teamwork

Getting it done with a cast of thousands.

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American musician Charles Mingus.

Photograph of African-American poet and writer Langston Hughes.

Image of Chinese poet Bai Juyi.

American playwright and author David Mamet.

Japanese diarist and poet Sei Shōnagon.

Chinese-American journalist Leslie T. Chang.

Irish writer George Moore.

German philosopher and music critic Theodor Adorno.

Eight hours for work, eight hours for sleep, eight hours for what we will.

—Slogan of the National Labor Union of the United States, 1866

Color painting early Chinese philosopher Mengzi.

Black and white photograph of a young John Ruskin wearing a suit.

Mencius & John Ruskin

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