The Importance of Being Lazy

In Praise of Play, Leisure, and Vacation

Al Gini

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2004
• eBook ISBN: 9781135948931
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World History
• Index: History

Drawing upon in-depth case studies of vacation habits and the observations of philosophers, writers, and sociologists such as Aristotle, Mark Twain and Thorstein Veblen, Al Gini argues why vacations are so venerated and why 'doing nothing' is a fundamental human necessity.

From shopping sprees and extreme sports to the ultimate vacation - retirement - The Importance of Being lazy demonstrates that without true leisure, we are diminished as individuals and as a society.

Index

Ackerman, Diane, 31–32

addicted organizations, 144

adulthood:

first, 136;

second, 130–31, 136, 139–40

advertisements:

American culture and, 91;

cult of, 90, 92;

goal of, 91–92;

industry, 91

advertising:

modern, 91;

money spent on, 92–93;

outdoor, 92;

sports events and, 107–108;

television, 92, 107–108

affluenza epidemic, 94, 96;

test for, 97–100

age:

old, 139;

perception of, 125, 126, 137–38, 141;

wisdom and, 137

aging:

American population, 13 2–3 3;

baby boomers (see baby boomers);

life stages of, 127–28, 139;

Medicare and, 133;

myths about, 134;

pension plans and, 134–35;

perceptions of, 125–26, 134, 137–38, 141;

retirement and, 126, 133–34, 135–36

( see also retirement);

second adulthood and, 130–31, 136, 139–40;

Social Security and, 126, 133, 134

airline industry, 49;

Sept. 11, 2001 and, 10

Allen, George, 106

American:

Automobile Association, 45;

culture, 91;

economy, 82;

production, 83

American Dream, 53, 82;

con- sumerism and, 91,94

American(s):

average work weeks per year of, 6, 16;

busyness of, 4,21;

consumer culture of, 85–89;

love of travel by, 49;

middle class, 51, 75;

play and, 49;

popular culture, 14;

Puritan heritage of, 49–50

vacations time taken by, 25

amusement, 36, 50

Anderso...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Contents
• Copyright Page
• prologue The Project and the Problem
• one The Other Side of Leisure: Work, Damn it!
• two Leisure and Culture: The Importance of Being Lazy
• three Vacations and Traveling
• four Minivacations: The Weekend
• five Shopping as Leisure and Play
• six Sports and Play
• seven The Ultimate Vacation: Retirement
• epilogue Sabbath as Metaphor
• notes
• about the author
• index