The Static Page

Time, Time, Time.

This segues nicely after Brett's article about how much time is spent on the Internet. But time spend outside the Internet can be incredibly busy, too. It is well known that some parts of the IT industry expect very long hours - either nursing recalcitrent computers, or simply working at your (paid) job. This might not be so bad when your job is your life, but that doesn't describe everyone.

There's no hard and deep research to back this up, but I'm reasonably sure the widespread practice of going to work for a known percentage of the day and coming home afterward is only as new as the Industrial Revolution. Prior to that, if you worked at a particular job - say, an innkeeper, you were an innkeeper 100% of the time. Or cartwright. Or stonemason. Or farmer. Or whatever. There wasn't much distinguishing "being at work" and "not being at work". It hasn't gone entirely, note. Life styles still described as Farmer, whether they be in outback Australia or in rural China, don't often make such a distinction, either.

But even when you're not at work, they are numerous claims on your time. Who spends every evening of the weeknight busy? (And I don't mean just watching television!) People heavily involved in their local church while holding down a 9 to 5 job will know what I mean! Sometimes it is not easy to say "no" and even if you do, there are opportunities for self-improvement that must often be taken only at the cost of something else you really wanted to do. For instance, I've been learning Japanese basically for the fun of it at a community college. That's one night. I'm involved in the band at church; we have a practice every Friday. I want to be part of a Bible Study - nominally Wednesdays at the moment. And I've decided to participate in a local production of The Secret Garden. That's currently taking two nights a week - and we're merely learning songs! Unusually for me, the Bible Study got dropped last week when I wanted a mid-week night at home. I only get to post in here on weekends and at work...

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that the society we live in places high demands on our time - higher demands than most people quite realize. Sometimes just enjoying yourself can take so much work. How about you guys elaborate on whether you think the weekend needs another days or so? What you do with that extra 24 hours a week? (Remember everyone would get them!) Could it make a difference? Or would we fill it up in double-quick time and be no better off in a month than before?

Wade Bowmer, aka Static.

Comments? Email me at static dash page at yceran dot org.