"Personally, I have nothing against work, particularly when performed, quietly and unobtrusively, by someone else. I just don't happen to think it's an appropriate subject for an "ethic.""

This quote by Barbara Ehrenreich suggests that she does not believe that work ought to be seen as an ethical worth. She acknowledges that work can be beneficial and required, but she does not think it ought to be viewed as an ethical responsibility. She implies that work should be done quietly and without drawing attention to oneself, and that it must not be viewed as a source of pride or a step of one's worth. Ehrenreich's quote suggests that she believes that there are more vital worths than work, such as kindness, compassion, and regard. She believes that these worths should be the focus of an ethical system, instead of work.