Meanings of LeisureMeanings of Leisure

LeisureLeisure’’s meanings through s meanings through …..…..

The humanitiesThe humanities

Ancient historyAncient history

Contemporary connotationsContemporary connotations

Using the humanities to Using the humanities to understand leisure meaningunderstand leisure meaning

• Humanities are areas of creation Humanities are areas of creation whose subject is human experience.whose subject is human experience.– Art, Literature and MusicArt, Literature and Music

• Related terms:Related terms:– ImpressionismImpressionism– AestheticAesthetic– ArêteArête

Leisure and LiteratureLeisure and Literature

Greeting cards, poems, novels, Greeting cards, poems, novels, advertising, books, short stories and advertising, books, short stories and poems can all portray leisure:poems can all portray leisure:““Hand of CardsHand of Cards”” from from Four Against Everest Four Against Everest

by Woodrow Wilson Sayreby Woodrow Wilson Sayre

““Each one of us is dealt a hand of cards Each one of us is dealt a hand of cards by life. Itby life. It’’s not so much the hand you s not so much the hand you get dealt but what you do with what get dealt but what you do with what youyou’’ve got.ve got.””

Another literary image of Another literary image of leisureleisure

A scene from A scene from ““The Big WarThe Big War”” by Anton by Anton Myrer (author of the bestselling Myrer (author of the bestselling ““The The Last ConvertibleLast Convertible””) where Al, a marine, ) where Al, a marine, is describing in a letter home what it is is describing in a letter home what it is like on board the transport ship where like on board the transport ship where the marines are bored with nothing to the marines are bored with nothing to do …do …

Claude MonetClaude MonetRegattaRegatta

Edouard ManetEdouard Manet““Masked Ball at the OperaMasked Ball at the Opera””

Pierre August RenoirPierre August Renoir““Dance at the Moulin de la Dance at the Moulin de la GaletteGalette””

Edgar DegasEdgar Degas““AbsintheAbsinthe””

• It reflects much about a society and It reflects much about a society and

subcultures within that society. subcultures within that society.

• It has various styles. It has various styles.

•Many popular songs describe Many popular songs describe impressionsimpressions

and meaning of leisure experiences.and meaning of leisure experiences.

Music: Music: A basic and universal activity of A basic and universal activity of

humanshumans

In summary, the humanities of art, In summary, the humanities of art, literature, and music offer many literature, and music offer many glimpses of leisure meaningglimpses of leisure meaning• Can you think examples from each of Can you think examples from each of

these genres that portray leisure as …these genres that portray leisure as …– As achieving the good lifeAs achieving the good life– As an emotional outletAs an emotional outlet– As peace and quietAs peace and quiet– As connection with natureAs connection with nature– As idlenessAs idleness– As excitementAs excitement– As sociabilityAs sociability– As ….. [whatever you want]As ….. [whatever you want]

Leisure legacies from Ancient Leisure legacies from Ancient cultures:cultures:

The artsThe artsContemplationContemplationLearningLearningMass spectacleMass spectacleFestivals and holidaysFestivals and holidaysLush gardensLush gardensSportsSports

The Origins of the Leisure The Origins of the Leisure ClassClass

• In 1899 Thorenstein Veblen wrote a In 1899 Thorenstein Veblen wrote a book called book called ““The Theory of the The Theory of the Leisure ClassLeisure Class””

• Veblen described the leisure class as:Veblen described the leisure class as:A group of people who had goods but A group of people who had goods but

did not have to workdid not have to workFirst developed in barbarian cultureFirst developed in barbarian cultureSuperior to other classesSuperior to other classes

Ancient Greece: PlatoAncient Greece: Plato

• PlatoPlato’’s teaching creates one foundation s teaching creates one foundation for examining meaning in leisurefor examining meaning in leisure– A central role of education in Ancient Greece was to A central role of education in Ancient Greece was to

enlighten students as how much work was enlighten students as how much work was necessary, how to use free time, and its value to life.necessary, how to use free time, and its value to life.

– Schole Schole and and AscholiaAscholia– The highest purpose of work was to escape into The highest purpose of work was to escape into

leisureleisure– Believed the ultimate expression of humanity Believed the ultimate expression of humanity

occurred in leisureoccurred in leisure

Ancient Greece: AristotleAncient Greece: Aristotle

• Leisure was activities performed for Leisure was activities performed for their own saketheir own sake

• The goodness of humans was found The goodness of humans was found in their power to reasonin their power to reason

• There were some downsides to the There were some downsides to the ideal of Greek leisureideal of Greek leisure

Leisure in Ancient RomeLeisure in Ancient Rome

• Leisure was non-work timeLeisure was non-work time

• Leisure was a reward for hard workLeisure was a reward for hard work

• Leisure and social control in RomeLeisure and social control in Rome– Bread and CircusesBread and Circuses

Leisure in Contemporary Leisure in Contemporary Culture:Culture:Free TimeFree Time

• Time free from the obligations of work Time free from the obligations of work (subsistence) and existence (eating, (subsistence) and existence (eating, sleeping, and so on).sleeping, and so on).

• Leisure is time free for making personal Leisure is time free for making personal choiceschoices

• Not all people who are free from work Not all people who are free from work obligations have leisureobligations have leisure

• Free time can be regarded as privilege or Free time can be regarded as privilege or as a chance to escapeas a chance to escape

Leisure in Contemporary Leisure in Contemporary Culture: ActivityCulture: Activity

• The view of many recreation The view of many recreation professionalsprofessionals

• Recreation and leisure are often used Recreation and leisure are often used synonymouslysynonymously

• Potential problemPotential problem

Leisure in Contemporary Leisure in Contemporary Culture:Culture:State of MindState of Mind

• Leisure is defined by the meaning it Leisure is defined by the meaning it holds for the individual, by the holds for the individual, by the individual, from his or her own point of individual, from his or her own point of viewview

• Self-expression, self-achievement, and Self-expression, self-achievement, and self-actualizationself-actualization

So …What is leisure?So …What is leisure?

• No one single memorizable, right-No one single memorizable, right-answer definition of leisureanswer definition of leisure

• Complex Complex

• Make conscious decisions to achieve Make conscious decisions to achieve optimal meaning optimal meaning