The blurring line between work and leisure

Back when we were kids, most people I knew did the bare minimum in life.  They went to school or work. They came home.  Relaxed. Ate. Went to sleep.

We slept a lot! 

Some may have done a little bit of gardening. Or whatever. But, essentially leisure was leisure. 

Nobody I knew then was even remotely maniacal about how they spent their downtime. I don't know how much life has changed in India.  But, here in the US, leisure is no longer leisure. There is intense commitment, a maniacal intensity, to whatever people decide that they want to pursue.

My early exposure to this was back in California.  Brewing beer at home was becoming a craze.  I practically had to run away from a couple of acquaintances if I ever ran into them at any get together, because they could go on and on about the latest in their brewing.  

Then there were the bake-bread-at-home people, especially after that machine appeared in the market in the early 1990s.  Remember that? 

Quilters, oh, don't get me started on them! 

The age of Facebook and Instagram has made this worse.  

People bike 40 miles and can't wait to post it.  Leisure activities are meticulously documented and broadcast to the world.  

I won't be surprised if soon people start boasting about the awesome sex they have, and broadcasting it as if they are porn stars in their bedrooms. Oh, wait, they already do! 

Why do people get so maniacal, and competitive, about their leisure time "work"?  When did this "play hard" concept take over lives?  And why the condescending attitude towards those of us who don't play hard?  I wish I could just freely admit that I don't do much.  Why not just chill, and enjoy?

One might think that these people go to work in order to relax from such all the strenuous leisure activities.  But, nope.  Working hard and long hours is apparently the modern thing.  I can understand the long, hard, and unpredictable hours in the healthcare world.  But, most others?  Even in the bullshit jobs?

Yes, yes, yes.  I have written about all these.  A lot.  I hope against hope that the coronavirus is compelling people to ask themselves why they do what they do.  

I will now go play bridge, er, work ;)