Excluding the profit motive, different cultures had different ideals about work and not all despised/avoided work. One interpretation from the Gita is to find purposeful labor that is motivated by our inner divinity.
> You have the right to work, but for the work's sake only. You have no right to the fruits of work. Desire for the fruits of work must never be your motive in working. Never give way to laziness, either.
> Perform every action with you heart fixed on the Supreme Lord. Renounce attachment to the fruits. Be even-tempered in success and failure: for it is this evenness of temper which is meant by yoga.
> Work done with anxiety about results is far inferior to work done without such anxiety, in the calm of self-surrender. Seek refuge in the knowledge of Brahma. They who work selfishly for results are miserable.
What I was meaning to say was, "throught western history". I don't know enough to make an universal claim. In Europe, though, aristocracy was at the top of society and they thought work was a domain of slaves. They thought highly of fighting in wars, but otherwise prefered a life of leisure.
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1394795-you-have-the-right-...
> You have the right to work, but for the work's sake only. You have no right to the fruits of work. Desire for the fruits of work must never be your motive in working. Never give way to laziness, either.
> Perform every action with you heart fixed on the Supreme Lord. Renounce attachment to the fruits. Be even-tempered in success and failure: for it is this evenness of temper which is meant by yoga.
> Work done with anxiety about results is far inferior to work done without such anxiety, in the calm of self-surrender. Seek refuge in the knowledge of Brahma. They who work selfishly for results are miserable.