Say the phrase “dignity of work” in the wrong crowd, and you’re asking for a foul-mouthed Twitter mob or at least dismissive snickers. A certain type of Leftist believes “dignity of work” is a lie foisted upon the proletariat by the bourgeoisie. A certain type of libertarian believes work is nothing more than a transactional exchange of labor for currency.

Of course, most people, Left, Right, and libertarian, know that work is a good thing. It doesn’t even have to be paid work. Labor, set to producing things people can use or providing services that people want, is an ennobling undertaking. It is in fact a precondition for a truly happy life. And a recent study by the Senate’s Joint Economic Committee reinforces this idea.