As a young child, Frazier found happiness in playing in the woods, until one day, figured out that he had grown too old for such a hobby, choosing to then find out a new activity to enjoy. As an adult, Mora found happiness and joy through exploring museums, going so far as to describe them as pleasure havens, entranced by the beauty of “nature’s grandeur…” (343). With such a contrast in age and activity both authors participated in, marginal activities prove to show up in any stage of life. Marginal activities covering such a wide range not only helps the growth and development of one’s self, but also helps the growth and development of society as a whole…
Technology grants people instant gratification, so they spend more time watching television or listening to music than developing relationships that allow them to have a happy life. In Fahrenheit 451, Mildred and Montag’s marriage lacks emotional connection due to the overuse of technology in their society. Bradbury comments that why did Montag not “by himself an audio- Seashell broadcasting station and talk to his wife late at night, murmur, whisper, shout, scream, yell? But what could he whisper, what would he yell? What could he say” (Bradbury 42). Montag cannot communicate to the one he “loves” due to the continual utilization of technology that prevented him from learning how to have conversations. Without social skills, society in Fahrenheit 451 never fought with each other, giving the impression to Montag that his marriage was content, when it actually lacked emotional connection and happiness. In society today, the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted an experiment on how technology affects youth today. According to the foundation’s studies, 20% of heavy media users have a low level of personal contentment and 9% have a high level. On the other hand, 10% of light media users have a low personal contentment and 22% have a high level personal contentment (Foehr). Heavy media users tend to feel more discontent in life due to their lack of social skills that have them feeling isolated from society, leading them to feel depressed and anxious. Likewise, the Kaiser Family Foundation led another experiment that came to the results that among 8-to 18-year-olds, 32% of heavy media users are often sad or unhappy, while only 27% of light media users say they are often sad or unhappy (Foehr). Similar to Fahrenheit 451, society is becoming less content with how their lives are due to the excessive utilization of electronics…
Technology has replaced what was once common for people to engage in, such as manually washing clothes and dishes, face-to-face communication, and using candle powered light. People of the United States feel compelled to possess all kinds of technology so as to make their lives more convenient. Having a smartphone is now viewed as a necessity, and something that people assume everyone owns. Even in schools those who do not have smartphones are somewhat outcasts when a teacher asks the whole class to pull out their phones. Part of the American Dream is materialistic—owning the finest of things, such as the best technological devices. The conformity of United States citizens since World War II to seek materialistic pursuits has given technology power over the lifestyles of Americans. Nowadays people cannot live without their technological devices, they have become weak and dependent upon technology, consequently giving it all the power over them and the American lifestyle. Without technology, people are unable to do the most colloquial of tasks, such as using a dictionary to look up a word, travelling without the luxuries of a car or airplane, and not rely on running water. By conforming to society’s materialistic goal of acquiring the best technological gadgets, Americans have given technology complete power over their selves and would not be able to function without…
Leisure’s roles are not static, but rather they change and evolve with the circumstances in which we find ourselves.…
This essay will have three sections. The first section will briefly outline the concepts made by Clarke and Critcher (1995) of material and cultural ' (Clarke, J. and Critcher, C. Leisure and Inequality ' in C. Critcher et.al.,1995, Sociology of Leisure: A Reader. London: E+FN Spon, p247) constraints to leisure. The concepts shall be detailed, and briefly explained and elaborated. The second section will illustrate these concepts by relating them to a article by Green, E., Hebron, S. and Woodwood, D (1990). This article recognises that gender is a key dimension in both the public and private spheres of leisure. This shall be further supplemented with other sources that also highlight gender differences, and supports Clarke and Critcher 's (1995) concepts. The final section will reflect upon factors that have enabled or constrained my own leisure experiences.…
Leisure’s roles are not static, but rather they change and evolve with the circumstances in which we find ourselves.…
“The Realities of Hedonistic Consumerism, by Jesse Arrington, expresses hedonistic consumerism goes farther in our lives than we think. Since we buy things that we need in order to live, this shows how consumerism plays a big part in our lives. However, the hedonism part proposes that most people are grasped up in consumerism that they rely on this to be their basic cause of their way of living. A study shows that the average American family has more than eight thousand dollars in credit-card debt. This results in a person going broke every fifteen seconds. Most of the this is caused by the media, where we are attacked by ads that make us feel like we need it. Each day more people are realizing that the media basically manages what we see,…
Vice-versa, deriving enjoyment from these habits depends on one’s ability to ignore that in the process of producing bourgeois comfort, the modern dispositifs produce…
When a new invention is unveiled it is called a technological advancement, which are taking humanity further away from nature. Many of the great breakthroughs of technology are purely for personal entertainment. Society relies heavily on the phones, computers, televisions, and countless other devices that, while helping mankind be more productive, are designed mainly for user performance and entertainment; thus creating harsh consequences for humanity’s relationship with…
” Leisure was as much a part of life as work was. Workers found their joy in pubs, enjoying the camaraderie after long days and weeks in the factory. When trade was slow, the workers looked towards the bars for solace. Drinking, gaming, and sports created the lively life of the pre-industrial America.…
Some forms of technology are not necessary, and “we must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids...”(Pg. 73) Thoreau states, suggesting that people must learn to occupy themselves without modes of unnecessary entertainment and extravagance. He isn’t saying that we can’t have fun, he is merely saying that not every luxury that we have is necessary, applying Thoreau’s points to our current…
“I cannot imagine how I would live without it.” These are the words uttered by countless teenagers and adults about the technology they use to enhance their daily lives. It is hard to remember the days of lugging around CD’s and walk-mans. Bicycles as transportation seem like a thing of the past. Writing notes and remembering information for the next day is long forgotten. Reading encyclopedias and using books for research papers seems nonexistent. Simple technological advancements have changed how people view the world. As a child of a modern age, technology has become an integral part of my everyday life. A separation of these technical innovations…
In many American’s eyes, leisure is very important. People mix the relaxation and worry-free times of earlier generations. The speaker longs for the “Old Leisure” and the older ways of living (Eliot). The author’s techniques used in the passage from George Eliot’s Adam Bede display the upsetting aspects of the techniques and technologies of the present. In Adam Bede, the tones of eagerness and idleness rush through the sluggish leisure of life.…
We entertain ourselves with various hobbies, such as skating, photography, painting, gardening, games, cooking, baking and even walking. Everyone should choose a hobby that suits his profession. Leisure should be usefully employed to refresh one self. It should provide recreation to the body and the…
Since the 19th century until now, history of technology has had many changes, failures, and achievements. Technology evolution has always been very precise and important. This has been driven people obsessed with vanguard technology. In the past, people hadn’t the chance to be surrounded by technology as we are now (accessibility). So human’s obsession with technology has its own reasons and consequences.…