Philosophy Now Forum

Why are we incapable of guilt-free leisure? Jacob Snyder says, blame John Locke!

https://philosophynow.org/issues/142/Anxious_Idleness

"Why are we incapable of guilt-free leisure?"

Now there's an assumption made by someone who certainly has never met me.

Reading Professor Snyder's article reminded me of two historical documents.

First, in a posthumous tribute to Etienne Gilson, the Catholic philosopher, medieval historian, and member of the French Academy, Professor Ralph McInerny wrote "but after Gilson ignorance of medieval philosophy is culpable."

Second, after the publication of Josef Pieper's classic "Leisure: The Basis of Culture ," ignorance of the genealogy of the notion of leisure on the part of a student of leisure is, I submit, culpable.

In not mentioning Pieper's classic in his article, is Professor Snyder blameworthy ?

An Amazon Kindle version of "Leisure: The Basis of Culture" is available for $12.99.

The author's first paragraph states:

"The unique spell of forced leisure imposed by Covid notwithstanding, it is a truth universally acknowledged that we lack sufficient leisure. We lead busy lives and wish that this were less the case. When considering why, the obvious initial answer is that our economic conditions bar us from leisure. We would like to work less, but working more is an economic necessity."

I contest his universality of truth claim.

There are many thousands of Catholic priests, nuns, and other religious people in the world. Most of them take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Their voluntary vows of poverty contradict the author's claim of "economic necessity". They certainly do not " [acknowledge] that we lack sufficient leisure. "

Martin Hägglund although a communist swine, do have some refreshing views on this, do you agree, you who have read his Magnus Opus?