workaholism - anthropology, some perspective

[Guest guest]

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