The idea of a shorter working week is something which should be much more discussed. While anathema in our growth based systems, at some stage do need to ask when enough is enough. It's a true point that despite technological advances improving productivity, we work more. Furthermore in times of hardship and unemployment, work sharing would indeed seem like a civilized solution, and one that could be win-win: more free time as a result of helping others, l and an improved society as the social divisions are reduced, surely good?
The fundamental problem is I think psychological. The role of possessions and improvement in our personalities in modern consumer culture is so strong, restricting this would be hard for people to handle, provoking material influenced moral indignation and quandary. But for many reasons it might be time to learn how to work to live, not live to work, and reduced working his might play a role in this.
Cut the working week to a maximum of 20 hours, urge top economists | Society | The Observer
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