Read and love it. I myself am one of those who believed in the duty to work. I was raised that way. I still believe that work is everyone's duty to themselves and others but I also know that we were not meant to spend our lives toiling away in some factory or office to barely survive so someone else can spend their time assuring their own laziness. I'm not sure if 4 hours of work is still enough considering population growth or if it's all relative but I still think this has much merit in today's world.
I am sure 4 hours will be too much, considering automation growth. I think capitalism's emphasis on diligence, to the detriment of so many other virtues, is unhealthy. Diligence is a virtue, and humans need to work for their own mental and spiritual health. But that work should be something they find fulfillment in, as Russell says. And you can only teach it, you can't force that kind of growth, any more than you can force any other virtue. I also think it's inevitable: increasing automation will make labour-based economy not only unnecessary, but unsustainable.
I didn't really factor in increased automation. Point made good sir. I couldn't have said It better myself