2021年英语四级听力美文第12篇:Leisure and Boredom思维导图

Technologyandthedivisionoflabourhavedonetwothings:byeliminatinginmanyfieldstheneedforspecialstrengthorskill,theyhavemadeaverylargenumberofpaidoccupationswhichformerlywereenjoyableworkintoboringlabour,andbyincreasingproductivitytheyhavereducedthenumberofnecessarylabouringofthepopulation,thatistosay,itslabourers,willhavealmostasmuchleisureasinearliertimeswasenjoyedbythearistocracy.

Itseemsinterestingandrelaxinggoodnewsatthefirstsight,butwhenonerecallshowaristocraciesinthepastactuallybehaved,theprospectisnotcheerful.

Thepastaristocraciesinventedalotofactivitiestomakefunoutofboredom,however,theproblemofdealingwithboredommaybeevenmoredifficultforsuchafuturemasssocietythanitwasforaristocracies.Thelatter,forexample,ritualizedtheirtime;therewasaseasontoshootgrouse,aseasontospendintown,aseasontoholdalotofparties,etc.

Themassesaremorelikelytoreplaceanunchangingritualbyfashionwhichitwillbeintheeconomicinterestofcertainpeopletochangeasoftenaspossible.

Again,themassescannotgoinforhunting,forverysoontherewouldbenoanimalslefttohunt.Forotheraristocraticamusementslikegambling,dueling,andwarfare,itmaybeonlytooeasytofindequivalentsindangerousdriving,drug-taking,andsenselessactsofviolence.Workersseldomcommitactsofviolence,becausetheycanputtheiraggressionintotheirwork,beitphysicalliketheworkofasmith,ormentalliketheworkofascientistoranartist.Theroleofaggressioninmentalworkisaptlyexpressedbythephrase“gettingone’steethintoaproblem”.