Within the lifetime of many of us, work required boring, repetitious, manual labor with little demand on the mind once the routine was established.
It was bad that people used their hands rather than their minds!

Then, about 50 years ago, automation began a rapid expansion of industrial output. Hordes of manual workers were no longer needed! This had little impact as they were absorbed by the vast expansion of office work.
It was good that people used their minds rather than their hands!

However, once computers became part of the office these hordes of office workers were no longer needed! Computers do Man’s mental work and machines do Man’s physical work. Though work needs no people, people still need work. It is demanded! Find work or starve! And the solution is ever so simple. Just do mindless work using your hands – sweep up leaves – clean tall buildings – ‘wipe’ at the checkout – data-punch 60 wpm (despite RSI).
It is good that people use their hands rather than their minds!

Forward to the Past

Ever since Man's first arrival
He had to work for his survival.
His brawn was put to slave employment,
His brain to waste without enjoyment.

And so Man sought, by his invention,
Machines to do each manual action,
And named his labour-free solution
'The Industrial Revolution'.

Thus, with Man's work done in his absence
His office skills grew to importance,
And triplicates of clerks and papers
Flew desk to desk in ceaseless capers.

But when Man used his first computer
The Information Age took over
And, with Man's mind no longer needed,
Dismissing clerks quite soon proceeded.

These idle minds without a future
Need build their bodies close to Nature.
It's brawn, not brains, that's now demanded
So look for jobs that say "Hands Wanted."

Of countless streets that need a-sweeping
Just do your bit and cease your weeping
And you will see the prospect pleasant
To realise you're now a peasant.