The document discusses the changing nature of labor and the body over different historical periods: 1. In the Ancient World, all work was seen as ignoble. 2. In the Feudal World, work followed the rhythms of the seasons and people alternated between periods of rest and idleness. 3. The Industrial Revolution commodified labor and led to specialization of tasks, increasing productivity but also subjecting the body to the rhythms of the machine. This trend continued with mechanization of agriculture and manufacturing.