The Free-Time Paradox in America
This article (in the tradition of Keynes) makes the implicit assumption that more leisure is good/brings happiness. (Hence the seeming paradox that rich people - those who should be able to afford more leisure - appear to work more.) I don't think that's true. There's a reason that retiring early is literally bad for your brain [0] - healthy adults are supposed to be engaged in productive activity. Whether productive activity means punching a clock, volunteering at a $nonprofit or striking out on your own, the point is that our minds and bodies need to be actively living, not just passively consuming.<p>If you view underemployed young people with lots of "free time" as trapped by leisure and cheap entertainment, the paradox goes away - they're not in an enviable position at all.<p>[0] <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/this-is-your-brain-on-retirement---not-nearly-as-sharp-studies-are-finding/2015/10/29/7a0168ba-7dac-11e5-afce-2afd1d3eb896_story.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/this-is-y...</a>