2021大学英语四级美文赏析：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”.