Re: workaholism - anthropology, some perspective

January 2, 2007

Hi Brent,

I am happy your post was the first I saw upon returning from

my jaunt to Oregon. I managed to keep pace through the 2 weeks

I was gone, including the holidays. It was when I got home

that I, ofcourse, collapsed. It took 3 days to rest up, so I

thought that was not too bad. My son had his total hip replace-

ment while I was there and after spending 4 days in a hospital

(not to mention 3 nights in a motel), I wasn't sure I would

make it through the holidays. It was the first time I had

been home with my other 3 children and grandchildren in a

couple years. Everything went fine because I let the younger

ones do the work. I watched out for my son, because he had

some problems during surgery with his pulse and blood pressure

that had the doctor worried. Scared me to death and we know

how stress treats us, but I managed to do the breathing and

getting information. But now he's doing great, taking pt 3

times a week.

Now I just have all this work at home to do. Christmas dec-

orations inside and outside. There is no food in the house.

All the stuff packed to put away. But my work day resembles

our ancestors, 2.4 hours a day. I may have this all done by

Easter. By the way, my daughter is the workaholic now in this

family and I'm afraid retirement will be the only cure!

I'm glad to be back home and back on the site and I hope this

finds everyone in good health and positive outlook the new

year.

Janet in Ca

, " It's OK, Brent banked enough

> hours for me to take some time for myself, today. " Therefore... I

> offer the time to watch the next sunrise and sunset (weather-

> permitting) to all who dare...

>

> Best wishes... Brent

>

January 2, 2007

Thanks Brent. I will take 30 minutes tomorrow from the time you banked for me.

Thank you.

What did those people do with the rest of the time after working the 2.8

hours/day?

skrewtz <brentherman@...> wrote:

When I took an anthropology course 20 years ago, we looked at a well-

documented study concerning the work habits of various contemporary

hunter-gatherer societies. The peoples of the groups were from every

continent (but Antarctica of course). When added together, an adult

of these groups spent an average of 2.8 hours per day making their

living - this included all food gathering, preparing, tool-making,

clothing-making, upkeep and building of their shelters, etc. The

people of sub-Saharan Africa spent the least time, 2.4 hours. These

people recognised well over 200 different types of vegetation and

over 100 different types of animals (mostly insects) that they could

eat. The hard-workers were the Australian bush people: they spent 4.2

hours a day. They ate no refined foods, weren't overweight; and,

they lived communally - sharing the resources, violence against one

another was very rare.

Granted, I like my flat-screen computer and my Kevlar canoe. I like

sleeping in a bed that costs more than most people from the least

developed countries earn in a year. Colder climates do require more

work than warmer climates, but I think we have gone too far. I think

that most of us could give up half of our possessions and manage

quite comfortably. I think if we compared our lives possessions to

those of our ancestors who lived just 200 years ago, most of us would

say we have far more than we require and that feel needlessly guilty

when we don't work (including household chores) 10, 12, and 14 hours

a day.

Our time-saving devices have changed our lifestyles to the point of

nearly all of us having to make far more decisions than in years

past - leading to stress. The dishwasher enables me to empty it while

answering the phone and scheduling appointments for next month. The

computer enables me to do typing that a secretary would have done for

me a generation ago. My wife and I are both professionals and we get

to do the work of at least twice as many people of a generation ago

(even with me on reduced hours).

So... I am going to be extra careful about laying guilt trips on

myself for not doing work I am no longer able to do. And... since I

have worked for forty years doing at least 4 people's jobs when

compared with hunter-gather's, I don't mind if half a dozen others at

this site slow down a bit and say, " It's OK, Brent banked enough

hours for me to take some time for myself, today. " Therefore... I

offer the time to watch the next sunrise and sunset (weather-

permitting) to all who dare...

Best wishes... Brent

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January 2, 2007

Brent, I especially agree with the part about how many of us have WAY

more than we need. It's obscene.

I know this is not true of everyone. Many people are in true need.

That is what makes my past excess even sadder and stupider.

About a year ago I decided to get off the consumer merry-go-round. I'm

doing pretty well.

Someone asked what people who only work 2-4 yours a day do with all the

extra time. I think I know. They spend it serving others and

cultivating personal relationships with others. At least I hope this

is true.

A very wise man has said, " A man's life does not consist in the

abundance of his possessions. "

best regards,

sherry z

> work than warmer climates, but I think we have gone too far. I think

> that most of us could give up half of our possessions and manage

> quite comfortably. I think if we compared our lives possessions to

> those of our ancestors who lived just 200 years ago, most of us would

> say we have far more than we require and that feel needlessly guilty

> when we don't work (including household chores) 10, 12, and 14 hours

> a day.

January 2, 2007

Hi ,

What did they do with the other 2.8 hours? From what I can remember,

they spent most of it being one with nature and themselves (including

friends and extended families) with lots of laughing, singing and

dancing thrown in.

I know they didn't spend their time glued to a TV or wandering a

shopping mall or complaining that they didn't have a swimming pool, a

new car, a bigger house, collagen injections, a Blackberry cell-phone...

Best wishes to you, and when watching that sunrise/sunset, maybe pay a

little attention to your breathing (if you don't do it already). Brent

January 2, 2007

> I am happy your post was the first I saw upon returning from

> my jaunt to Oregon.

Hi Janet,

I'm glad that you have adopted a hunter-gatherer time-schedule and that

your family is mostly OK. Funny thing about the sunset/sunrise: we

have been having a rainstorm that is melting much of our snow. The

clouds have been so dark, I haven't seen a hint of the sun all day.

But now, as I look out the window (6PM), I see the biggest, yellowest

of full moons. With the clearing sky, I know the cold air will be

back. That's good, because i like walking on the snow. It is something

that my feet can handle doing for more than 15 minutes. Brent

January 2, 2007

Wow. Thanks. That is very enlightening. Remember when

technology was supposed to be labor-saving and provide

us hours of extra leisure time? (Cough. Cough)

I'm incredibly lucky -- for the past couple of years,

I've convinced my employer that most my Internet time

is spent doing industry research that benefits the

company. But I'm absolutely positive that I put in at

least 2.5 hours of real work today. Maybe even 3.

But seriously, I have this wretched to-do list for my

non-work life, and I never seem to be able to check

any of it off. It just grows and grows. Lately, I feel

like I've accomplished something if I put a hot meal

on the table. The dishes and the laundry will have to

wait!

Happy New Year!

(returning to lurk mode)

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ALLISON STEIN

WEBSITE: http://www.noblefusion.com/astein

JOURNAL: http://astein142.livejournal.com

ART BLOG: http://allisonstein.blogspot.com

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January 3, 2007

brent you are brilliant. this is just what i needed to hear. though i wont use

any of your time. ive got 35 years banked and im using it! we all have to slow

our pace. and today is day one. its raining again! so i will look for the sun.

oh and turn off all media. maybe read a mystery? thanks for reminding us that we

have too much stuff and work too much to pay for it! no wonder we hurt.

casey

wenko kadber <pastoork@...> wrote:

Thanks Brent. I will take 30 minutes tomorrow from the time you banked

for me. Thank you.