The Consumption Society and the Changing Nature of Leisure

Abstract

Much has been said about the possible emergence of a "leisure society" in advanced western economies. the paper argues that initial writings on this subject were largely stimulated by massive unemployment associated with deindustrialisation resulting from global economic restructuring. This "end of work" thesis fits uncomfortably with empirical evidence that the length of the working week has changed little in recent years and that many individuals opt for extra work rather than more leisure. The paper goes on to suggest that a "leisure society" will still eventuate but for very different reasons than first proposed. The "leisure society" of the next two decades is likely to be linked to a shift of emphasis from production to consumption in advanced economies. The paper suggests that lifestyle rather than work will be a defining characteristic of people's existence. More and more employment will be geared to satisfying lifestyle demands. The corollary to this is that some places will be "winners" in that they will see employment growth related to leisure and lifestyle provision whereas other places will be "losers" in the sense of providing few opportunities in these areas. The paper ends by speculating on the geography of "winning" and "losing".