The philosopher Hannah Arendt distinguished between "labor," activity tied to biological survival; "work," the construction of durable objects that outlast their makers; and "action," the speech and deeds that constitute political life. Arendt feared modern societies increasingly reduced human activity to labor — endless production and consumption — leaving little space for the action through which individuals appear to one another as distinctive selves.
Which choice most logically completes the text? Arendt's framework suggests she would most likely view a society dominated by consumption as _______
- A
ideally suited for the flourishing of political life
- B
naturally producing greater opportunities for durable artistic creation
- Ccheck_circle
diminished in its capacity to host meaningful public appearance and individuation
- D
indistinguishable in kind from any other arrangement of human activity
Explanation
Reducing activity to labor crowds out action, the realm of distinctive self-appearance, supporting C. A contradicts her concern; B ignores her distinctions; D conflates labor with work.