Keep Talking Episode 97: Stuart Whatley - The Case Against Work
Stuart Whatley is a writer, a Senior Editor at Project Syndicate, and the author of "Toward a Leisure Ethic," my favorite essay that I've read of the past few months. During our conversation, Stuart talks about the historic purpose of leisure and work, our culture's obsession with busyness and praise of toil, and the reason for striving towards a life of a leisure ethic: where one has control of one's time, one's energy, and where one works on projects for their own sake.
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00:00 Intro
00:57 What has been a "leisure ethic" in history?
03:51 Isn't extolling leisure a call for laziness?
09:50 The role of work and leisure in history
15:30 The shame of having an anti-work mentality
20:30 A quote from "Toward a Leisure Ethic"
26:48 A response to people who disagree with Stuart
31:57 "Enough" and how to live a life well-lived
40:05 How much we worked as hunter-gatherers
43:22 We lack models for a "leisure ethic"
48:10 Workaholism in America
51:30 Derek Sivers, money hoarders, and insatiable desires
55:00 A story from "The Psychology of Money" and how to use money