I came to John Locke in a quiet place, both physically and mentally. I was serving on an isolated post in the Mediterranean while in the Coast Guard, far removed from the noise of modern politics, media, and constant commentary. This was before the Internet as we know it today. There was no endless stream of opinion, no algorithm feeding outrage, no instant consensus to join or reject.

Work is one of the oldest ideas we carry with us. It sits at the center of how we understand ourselves. It follows us from childhood when we first take on small tasks and chores to the long miles of adulthood where the idea of work becomes tied to survival, reputation, identity and a place in society. We often talk about work as employment. We talk about jobs, careers, paychecks, promotions and all the moving parts that keep a household afloat. But that narrow view misses som