THE AMERICAN LEISURE MYTH
The idea that pressured Americans have less leisure than ever is a myth. There has never been enough time for us. There probably never will be. Americans live in constant fear that something good in life will pass us by. Indeed, the tip-off that the Harris poll is unreliable comes from the elderly. Though few of them hold jobs, they recorded the largest drop in leisure in the latest survey. And they say they have only about an hour more of daily leisure than working-age Americans. How can this be? It can’t be that people don’t offhandedly know how much free time they have, and Americans are reluctant to admit they spend too much time relaxing. Is all the rushing about good for us? Who knows? But it’s thoroughly American. What’s happening today is a new expression of an old condition. Striving and struggling are part of our culture. We’re a hustle-bustle society. Maybe that means we’re too uptight and…
To view this resource, log in or sign up for a subscription plan
