The transformation of leisure

Susana Juniu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

What does leisure mean to people? Has the essence of leisure been changed? The individuals may feel controlled by a system that values material possessions more than emotional and spiritual wealth. In the present context, it seems that people respond to the pressures of being productive and of consumption by measuring what they are and how much they have rather than analyzing the quality of who they are and what they have. These extrinsic motivators tend to govern people's lives and behaviours influencing how they relate to others. These motivators have also impacted the spiritual and emotional elements of quality of life. Leisure is no longer a disposition of the mind, spontaneous and genuine; it has become a disposition of the society. Thus, the historical sense of freedom in leisure has been lost to consumerism. This paper analyzes the elements that have transformed leisure behaviour and explores alternatives to help regain the philosophical essence of leisure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)463-478
Number of pages16
JournalLeisure/ Loisir
Volume33
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009

Keywords

  • Consumerism
  • Leisure behaviour
  • Leisure meaning
  • Technology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The transformation of leisure'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this