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Essay – Classical and modern idea of leisure

Parvi Arora

Yorkville University
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The word ‘leisure’ is derived from a Greek word ‘schole’ which means school in our

language and implies that the school children are not be kept idle and be involved in

something useful. The word itself indicates its significance.

In today’s modern era, the idea of leisure has been widely misunderstood. People take

leisure as time spent on unproductive things or time just wasted. For instance, nowadays

leisure for people is taking a break from their schedule and getting involved in

recreational activities such as gaming, watching TV, taking a nap, watching a movie etc.

But that is not the actual essence of leisure. Likewise, the modern view of leisure says,

leisure is all about time free from work. But the point here to note is that, the ultimate

goal is again getting back to work. On the other hand, the classical idea behind leisure

says leisure involves much more than relaxation. It is said to be the prime condition of

human happiness and thus the actual freedom from everything. It is not about enjoying

the free time. It is that part of life where an individual becomes himself and involves

himself in activities which are worth. Therefore, the classical view of leisure

overweighs the modern view of leisure directing people towards a life of happiness,

contemplation and development of the self.

Interestingly, there were many philosophers like Aristotle, Epicurus, Aquinas, Joseph

Pieper whose views stood for the classical idea of leisure. The Greek philosopher, the

most influential person Aristotle was of the view that leisure is an end in itself. He opined

that relaxation and recreation are again directed back to work and leisure is not. He said

leading a life of contemplation is proper use of leisure.

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Another philosopher, Pieper somehow supported Aristotle’s view of leisure but with his

own views in his own direction. Where Aristotle said, “Leisure of itself gives pleasure

and happiness and enjoyment of life, which are experienced, not by the busy man, but by

those who have leisure”, Pieper remarked, “Leisure is only possible when we are at one

with ourselves. We tend to overwork as a means of self-escape, as a way of trying to

justify our existence”. Both of their views are not exactly the same but closer to

similarity.

Pieper’s ideology about leisure was that leisure is a state of mind or a mood that opens to

contemplation and communion with God and is purely receptive. He said modern leisure

is empty and meaningless as it is not connected to religious worship. Pieper claimed that

the true essence of leisure ‘is a condition of the soul’ and ‘attitude of the mind’. It

emphasizes on leading a life with an open mind and being open to things and situations as

they are instead of thinking about how to use them. It is about giving and not taking.

True leisure can only be entered by exiting our daily routines and taking a break.

Everybody wants some time off their daily routines and spend time may be watching

something, going somewhere, playing a sport, etc. Everyone has his own way of

recreation. The point here to note is that the life keeps revolving around work and play.

Recreation is more connected to work and not leisure. Recreation is something in which

people get involved in order to get back to work in a more efficient manner. For instance,

an employee will always need a break to regain the ability to work more efficiently. It’s

not leisure. Work, Recreation and Leisure are three different notions. Once you

experience leisure, you will feel a unique sense of satisfaction which cannot be felt

through recreation or work.

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Pieper says that the reason of our existence is not to live an easy life but to find out the

actual reason for human existence. People try to know their existence by staying in the

regular routine which is not possible. For instance, you can never enjoy the beauty of

nature just by hearing about it or passing by. You need to enter nature as a whole keeping

other things aside in order to experience the serenity it gives.

Notably, the major difference between the classical and modern idea of leisure is how

leisure and work are distinguished. For the classical view of leisure, the work which

degraded the mind and body was not leisure. People are seen being involved in servile

jobs. Pieper said that the modern world looks more like Marxism. As a contrast, the

human existence is not limited to life of a labor. Leisure may take form of work but not

labor. Where classical leisure talks about taking rest from the rat-race, the modern leisure

talks about becoming a part of the rat-race.

The philosopher Hemingway does not support the idea of leisure by Aristotle and who

else has supported it. John Hemingway marks it as incorrect. He favors modern leisure.

But Grazia has secularized Aristotle’s and Pieper’s arguments in his thesis Time, Work

and Leisure which becomes a stronger citation against modern leisure. Professor

Stebbins, who has over 30 years in leisure studies talks about contemplation as serious

leisure thus supporting the arguments of Aristotle and Pieper who regarded

contemplation as a special form of leisure through which people can communicate with

God. Also, Davies’s poem “Leisure” contains of a message from Aristotle. The poem

talks about today’s man who is lost in the contemporary world needs to contemplate the
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beauties of nature in order to have some of good life. It also gives a message based on

Aristotle’s thought that labor does not give good life, leisure does.

Classical philosophers focus on leisure and good work together. But the modern

leisure is viewed as near to nothing. Therefore, the modern society which values the

consumption and entertainment more than the intellectual and religious lifestyle faces

boredom. People have no clarity of how to utilize free time for the sake of good. They

need to bring the essence of classical concept of leisure in their lives.

“It is in his pleasure that a man really lives; It is from his leisure that he constructs the

true fabric of self”, said Repplier. In a nutshell, classical leisure is of high value in

today’s world and modern leisure is overrated. Instead of struggling to figure out what to

do in free time, people need to adapt classical idea of leisure for the peace of their mind,

body and soul. When mind, body and soul harmonize towards a productive direction, the

result is leisure and thus happiness.

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References

A Catholic Classic: Commentary on Josef Pieper's 'Leisure the Basis of Culture'.

Retrieved from

https://www.catholic.org/news/national/story.php?id=37836

Josef Pieper quotes. Retrieved from

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/885.Josef_Pieper

The concept of leisure. Retrieved from

https://irc.queensu.ca/sites/default/files/articles/duncan-the-concept-of-leisure.pdf

7 Wallpapers. Retrieved from

https://quotefancy.com/quote/767689/Aristotle-Leisure-of-itself-gives-pleasure-and-

happiness-and-enjoyment-of-life-which-are

Stebbins.R.A. Leisure Reflections. Retrieved from

http://www.seriousleisure.net/uploads/8/3/3/8/8338986/reflections11.pdf

Unit 1 Notes: Introduction to Leisure and Philosophical Thought. Retrieved from

https://courses.yorkvilleu.ca/mod/book/view.php?id=822787&chapterid=131992

Unit 2 Notes: Leisure, Philosophy, and Happiness. Retrieved from

https://courses.yorkvilleu.ca/mod/book/view.php?id=822787&chapterid=131993

Unit 3 Notes: Leisure, Time, and Work. Retrieved from

https://courses.yorkvilleu.ca/mod/book/view.php?id=822787&chapterid=131994
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Unit 4 Notes: Leisure, Nature, and Contemplation. Retrieved from

https://courses.yorkvilleu.ca/mod/book/view.php?id=822787&chapterid=131995

63 Beautiful Leisure Quotes and Sayings. Retrieved from

https://www.askideas.com/63-beautiful-leisure-quotes-and-sayings/