Every person has relied on another at some point in their life and will likely do so again in old age. However, in these cases, the caregiver is often neglected and does not receive enough respect or compensation. Eva Kittay has been and will be a caregiver to her severely disabled daughter, Sesha, all her life. She knows the difficulties and work that dependency work entails. Her experiences with this lifestyle helped her write "Love's Labor," in which she describes the role of dependency labor, its importance, and how it is perceived in society. His view on the subject truly clarifies the ethical issues related to the way in which they are treated. After reading this book, I gained respect for dependent workers and realized that they do not get enough recognition or opportunities. Kittay makes sure to refer to caregivers of dependent people as “dependent workers” to emphasize that they are indeed doing work. However, unlike almost everyone else doing any work, dependent workers are at a great disadvantage. The competitive nature of society has a detrimental effect on these people. As Kittay puts it: “Even if we are dependent, we are not well placed to compete for the goods of social cooperation on an equal footing. And those who care for dependents, who must put their own interests aside to care for someone who is entirely vulnerable to their actions, enter the competition for social goods with a disability” (Kittay xi) . The amount and type of work they do gives them less opportunity than most, but they are not willing to sacrifice the health of those in their charge to achieve equality. Addiction work is work that must be done, without which society as we know it could not function. There will be ...... middle of paper ......k for this reason alone. However, she then writes that there is no way to eliminate it because so many people depend on it (Kittay 95). This point struck me because it seems strange that the worker could become dependent on the actual dependent person. This clearly shows that work has many stressors, including self-esteem. “Love’s Labor” by Eva Kittay truly opened my eyes to the profession of dependent labor. I realized that there are many ethical concerns underlying this work and that it should not be taken lightly. I believe that society should provide more opportunities for caregivers and that more people should take the time to learn more about the demands of the profession. Works Cited Kittay, Eva Feder. Love's Labor: Essays on Women, Equality, and Dependency. New York: Routledge, 1999. Print. Works Cited