Speaking of Smith
Live a Happier Life with the Concept of the Division of Labor
Adam Smith made it famous, but Plato, Aristotle, and even St. Paul appealed to the concept long ago. The division of labor gets us together into societies, where we can survive much better through trade with neighbors than we would on our own in the wilderness. Plato thought there might be five or six jobs that a small village could split up and live in a sort of primitive ideal. Aristotle countered that Plato’s professions were far too few and his vision of society far too unified. Instead, people get together because of how truly different they are; it’s their diversity that makes them need each other.
St. Paul described the church as a body; each part has a different task. Feet are no less needed than ears or eyes, he says, even if they get dusty, and we keep the most important bits under wraps. Similarly, the guy who puts the chairs away at church counts just as much as the pianist or preacher, and the greatest acts of Christian love are often done without anybody finding out at all.
The theme that unites these ideas is that people have wildly differing gifts and talents, and that’s a good thing! In stark contrast with the thoughtless stereotype of Smith as a hyper-individualistic economist, he knew well that we’re far better together. In fact, we need each other badly. Here’s how you can apply the concept of the division of labor to your life to be saner and happier; to work smarter, not harder; and to love yourself more and accept others for who they are, too (I promise!).
First, know thyself, as Socrates would say. I’m a big idea person, not a “spreadsheet person,” as I’ve dubbed my friend Anastasia. I have stopped (or at least minimized) torturing myself over tedious tasks and farmed them out to her -- she loves tedious tasks! She makes my travel plans, keeps track of legal documents, and helps me organize projects. I pay her hourly to take care of things that would cost me far more in sheer personal misery. She’s thrilled for the side-work, which is allowing her to pay down debt and save toward her goal of financial independence.
Even when I didn’t have much money, I bartered. My kids’ best friend’s mom is great at taking the kids camping; I’m better at urban outings. We trade, and each of us gets some free time for ourselves.
Second, stop comparing yourself. If Anastasia is a nerdy bean-counter who color-codes everything (and I mean this in the best possible sense), instead of rolling my eyes at her, I appreciate the way she can easily and even happily do the tasks that make me want to give up on life. At work, some of my colleagues are publishing more journal articles, others really focus on their pedagogical talents, and I’ve been a programming and community engagement-oriented faculty person. Frederick Buechner famously said that your vocation is “where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep hunger.” The more we do what plays to our gifts, the more we feel not only that we are deeply glad about our work, but also that we are giving something of value to others by being most ourselves.
Third, appreciate that a well-functioning cooperative endeavor requires a division of labor and will help you love and appreciate your neighbor. We’re living in a seriously polarized moment and it’s making us angry, and frankly, dumber. Jonathan Haidt has argued that conservatives tend to focus more on security and liberals (in the American sense) on care. As Mona Charen put it, “The great liberal virtue is impatience with injustice. The great conservative virtue is gratitude.” Don’t we need both impulses in our society? If we were all conservatives, perhaps things would be very orderly and traditional but deep injustices might persist. Were we all liberals we might rethink and rework our social system so often that it becomes completely unstable. Instead of hating our neighbors on ‘the other side’ of politics, we should bust out of our echo chambers and pursue conversations across barriers in the hopes of thinking more critically. Iron sharpens iron.
The next time some task or job is making you miserable, stop doing it. Give it to somebody else. Remember that you’re the only one that’s exactly like you. You are unique, unrepeatable, and valued (and so is your neighbor). Doing things that aren’t a good fit for you drains your energy for the things that are. But there’s somebody out there who is energized by the very things that make you feel drained, or who sees things with a different lens. Find that person, trade with them, converse with them, and be grateful for them! Then the both of you can make the rest of us better off by empowering one another. That’s how “the division of labor occasions, in every art, a proportionable increase of the productive powers of labor.” Isn’t that cool?
Related Links:
Charlotte Thomas, Adam Smith and Aristotle
An Animal That Trades vide series, Division of Labor
Related Links:
Charlotte Thomas, Adam Smith and Aristotle
An Animal That Trades vide series, Division of Labor
Comments
The Sympathetic Businessman
Jon Murphy for AdamSmithWorks
July 17, 2020
Maugham's story is worth a read for entertainment, but it also highlights an important aspect of commerce: the necessity of sympathy.
July 17, 2020
Maugham's story is worth a read for entertainment, but it also highlights an important aspect of commerce: the necessity of sympathy.
Adam Smith and the Costs of the Division of Labor
Alex Aragona for AdamSmithWorks
July 3, 2020
One shouldn’t be satisfied with any discussion of the division of labor that leaves consideration of the costs off the table.
July 3, 2020
One shouldn’t be satisfied with any discussion of the division of labor that leaves consideration of the costs off the table.
The Hopeful Vision of Saint Augustine and Adam Smith
Kenly Stewart for AdamSmithWorks
June 22, 2020
Here I use Tertullian’s formula to ask a different question, “What has Glasgow to do with Hippo?”
June 22, 2020
Here I use Tertullian’s formula to ask a different question, “What has Glasgow to do with Hippo?”
"Saving Adam Smith" Saves My Economics Class
Leah Kilfoyle for AdamSmithWorks
June 19, 2020
Saving Adam Smith hit the bullseye for my most recent search for a book that not only covers a number of my state’s standards, but demystifies the broader understanding of Adam Smith’s economics.
June 19, 2020
Saving Adam Smith hit the bullseye for my most recent search for a book that not only covers a number of my state’s standards, but demystifies the broader understanding of Adam Smith’s economics.
Joseph Banks
Carl Oberg for AdamSmithWorks
June 15, 2020
"...Banks, perhaps instinctively, knew more about economic change than his educational and scientific background let on."
June 15, 2020
"...Banks, perhaps instinctively, knew more about economic change than his educational and scientific background let on."
Adam Smith and Jane Austen
Renee Wilmeth for AdamSmithWorks
June 5, 2020
The similarities in Smith’s descriptions of moral weakness and Austen’s descriptions of people were undeniable. It was as if I could assign a different character in the book to each of Smith’s passages on moral philosophy.
June 5, 2020
The similarities in Smith’s descriptions of moral weakness and Austen’s descriptions of people were undeniable. It was as if I could assign a different character in the book to each of Smith’s passages on moral philosophy.
The East Asian economic miracle: An iron hand, or an invisible one?
Rob York for AdamSmithWorks
May 18, 2020
A great leader isn’t necessary for great results, and an invisible hand beats an iron one any day.
May 18, 2020
A great leader isn’t necessary for great results, and an invisible hand beats an iron one any day.
Fighting COVID-19 with Pretty Machines
Rachel Lomasky for AdamSmithWorks
May 4, 2020
Today’s machines are even prettier than the cleverly rigged piece of rope Smith admires. They are robots that help enable the prosperity of modern society. And during this time of global epidemic, their result is more than mere diversion.
May 4, 2020
Today’s machines are even prettier than the cleverly rigged piece of rope Smith admires. They are robots that help enable the prosperity of modern society. And during this time of global epidemic, their result is more than mere diversion.
The 18th Century and Social Networking
Carl Oberg for AdamSmithWorks
April 27, 2020
“...The mirth of … company is highly agreeable to him, and he regards this correspondence of their sentiments with his own as the greatest applause.”
April 27, 2020
“...The mirth of … company is highly agreeable to him, and he regards this correspondence of their sentiments with his own as the greatest applause.”
Pro-Slavery, Anti-Smith
Timothy Sandefur for AdamSmithWorks
March 16, 2020
It’s unlikely that Burke imagined, when sneering at “economists” in his Reflections, that his defense of feudal hierarchy would later serve as the foundation for a bloody rebellion aimed at perpetuating chattel slavery.
March 16, 2020
It’s unlikely that Burke imagined, when sneering at “economists” in his Reflections, that his defense of feudal hierarchy would later serve as the foundation for a bloody rebellion aimed at perpetuating chattel slavery.
What Would Adam Smith Say About Fasting?
Nathanael Snow for AdamSmithWorks
March 9, 2020
To become willing to share bread with the hungry and to enter into solidarity with the suffering of others requires the activation of what Adam Smith calls sympathy, the ability to enter into another person’s sentiments through imagining one’s self in her place.
March 9, 2020
To become willing to share bread with the hungry and to enter into solidarity with the suffering of others requires the activation of what Adam Smith calls sympathy, the ability to enter into another person’s sentiments through imagining one’s self in her place.
Adam Smith in the Car and in the Classroom
Andrew Smith for AdamSmithWorks
February 24, 2020
“Dad, what if there were no money? What if we could have everything we wanted and not have to pay for it?”
February 24, 2020
“Dad, what if there were no money? What if we could have everything we wanted and not have to pay for it?”
The Future of Farmers – Adam Smith Weighs In
Paul Schwennesen for AdamSmithWorks
February 17, 2020
The ailment, clearly, is not affecting farming, but farmers, historically understood. Our issue is a social one, not a technical one.
February 17, 2020
The ailment, clearly, is not affecting farming, but farmers, historically understood. Our issue is a social one, not a technical one.
The Imitative Arts: Some Fun with Adam Smith’s Artistic Opinions
Maryann Corbett for AdamSmithWorks
January 13, 2020
In his essay on the arts, Smith says much that now looks wrong, but his questionable claims might be the most interesting things he has to say.
January 13, 2020
In his essay on the arts, Smith says much that now looks wrong, but his questionable claims might be the most interesting things he has to say.
The Unexpected Joy in Sharing Sadness
Shal Marriott for AdamSmithWorks
January 6, 2020
There are many lessons to be taken away from The Theory of Moral Sentiments... Yet an unexpected but important takeaway, is that we all should take a little bit more time to be sad.
January 6, 2020
There are many lessons to be taken away from The Theory of Moral Sentiments... Yet an unexpected but important takeaway, is that we all should take a little bit more time to be sad.
Adam Smith and Slavery
Matthew Lowenstein for AdamSmithWorks
December 2, 2019
...is he right on the economics? That is, are there instances when slave labor could, at least conceptually, more effectively mobilize and accumulate capital than free labor?
December 2, 2019
...is he right on the economics? That is, are there instances when slave labor could, at least conceptually, more effectively mobilize and accumulate capital than free labor?
Can We Become the Impartial Spectator?
Nir Ben-Moshe for AdamSmithWorks
November 11, 2019
To what extent did Smith believe we can become the impartial spectator?
November 11, 2019
To what extent did Smith believe we can become the impartial spectator?
There's No Such Thing as Deregulation
with your scholar-host Dylan DelliSanti
April 8, 2019
“Deregulation” frequently conjures up the image of rich CEOs freed to do as they please without restraint or punishment like some sort of corporate Wild West. The regulation/deregulation dichotomy creates the impression that regulated markets are stable and orderly whereas deregulated markets are chaotic and wild – the “anarchy of production” as Karl Marx might have described it.[1]
April 8, 2019
“Deregulation” frequently conjures up the image of rich CEOs freed to do as they please without restraint or punishment like some sort of corporate Wild West. The regulation/deregulation dichotomy creates the impression that regulated markets are stable and orderly whereas deregulated markets are chaotic and wild – the “anarchy of production” as Karl Marx might have described it.[1]
