Work And Leisure Analysis

“Yet, it’s man’s ability to shape his environment that has set him distinctly apart from all other animals.” (Brightbill, 1960) As author Charles Brightbill illustrates, the ability for man to distinctly control his environment through work and the enjoyment of leisure separates him from all other species. Since the beginning of time, the relationship between work and leisure has been in constant flux, adapting with each new school of thought or major societal change. While the concept of leisure originated in biblical texts proclaiming the importance of rest and the need for a Sabbath, its role in society as an indicator of wealth and socioeconomic status has continued to change, often reflecting the dominant political and religious influences …show more content…
Utilizing the Bible, it is apparent that from the beginning of time, man was commanded to rest and work. There are countless examples of God commanding us to follow his lead and rest as he did, after working. In the Bible, Genesis 2:3 (NKJV) it states “… and on the seventh day God ended his work which he had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God created and made”. We are commanded to work for six days and rest on the seventh, the Sabbath is holy and the Lord blessed it. (Exodus 20:8) From the beginning of creation God knew that as soon as he gave mankind the freedom of choice that we would become “workaholics”. It is great that God knows us so well and wants to protect us from …show more content…
Children in both societies were known to have toys, dolls, and engaged in sport. Both societies built their cities around gardens, open-air theaters and public assemblies. However, Romans thought about leisure in a very different manner than Greeks. According to McLean and Hurd, Roman citizens did not participate in theater as the Greeks did because slaves were used as performers. Rather, according to Kraus, the Romans were the first culture to use leisure as a form of social control. (Kraus, 2000) Furthermore, Romans utilized leisure in a utilitarian sense rather than in a spiritual sense. (Brightbill, 1960) Whereas Greeks viewed leisure as a time for contemplation and thought for the “higher class”, Romans viewed leisure as something all citizens were entitled to. It was this utilitarian sense of leisure Romans had that led to the development of circuses. With slaves completing the majority of the work, the wealthy needed a way to control the masses. Circuses became the avenue for the wealthy to control the leisurely activities of everyday Roman citizens by controlling who was allowed to participate and where the games could be viewed. These circuses culminated in a festival. Usually, Roman festivals were held in honor of an army coming back from battle or in honor of a hero. These festivals dwarfed that of the Greeks. Ancient Roman was known to have over 200 public