Free Time The issue concerning free time, particularly its supposed use and the opportunities it offers remains a subject of debate. The concept of free time seems to differ from that of leisure in the sense that leisure involves lifestyle. For leisure, a conscious decision is made as to how to spend it, therefore, the tag of spare time fails to match its description. Free time is a derivative of the social conditions surrounding an individual which seem to control his /her life to some extent. These environmental forces may sometimes appear relaxed and make an individual to presume that he/she is acting on their own accord but, in real sense, the freedom they imagine to have is still under control of the same forces. With continued labour productivity and the associated reduction in freedom, the aspect of free time is gradually under threat. However, free time could still be available considering the rapid technological advancements which continue to ease workloads. It is ironical that, amidst these developments, free time is still becoming a satire of itself as many people do not enjoy the freedom associated with free time. Most people do not even realize the existence of that freedom. For instance, ones hobby is that activity one is fond of doing out of their professional jurisdictions but the concept of maybe swimming, reading a novel or listening to music may not cross an individual s mind as a hobby at all but rather a way of simply killing time. The argument by Theodore that leisure time is a reserve for the high class in the society; and that the middle class is simply copying that lifestyle does not hold. This is because his concept of constructive use of free time, which could in other words, be described as leisure is more inclined to the type of activities one would engage in. This is to miss the point because no matter which way one spends his/her free time, the bottom line is that according to their ability either economically, socially or psychologically they achieve personal gratification (Adorno, 2001). The contrast between work and free time today appears a norm conceptualized by people in the conscious and unconscious realms of mind and rightly so. An unwritten rule exists that if out of work, one should utilize the time they have for recreational purposes. However, because of the link between the two; work and free time, the latter is never held with any regard. This therefore means that much as people have the chance for free time, they have unconsciously ignored it. The rigorous modern life styles people are leading seem to subdue free time; an integral component of life. As such, free time may be said to lack in meaning. Many working individuals are literary enslaved by their work always seeking to achieve more. This in turn, compromises on the value of free time. An idea such as this may have informed the decision to reward learners in some schools for being attentive. This meant that the children needed to identify with and value free time to avoid burnouts (Adorno, 2001). The societal understanding of free time is evidently integrated as depicted by the naturalness of having a hobby as an individual. Modernity has infiltrated into the usage of free time by creating its own profit oriented ventures that affect the way people spend free time. This limits the way one spends his/her free time as the freedom appears to be organized or structured as it happens in a work setting. The societal perception of free time may affect ones lifestyle as for instance, taking time off for a nap may be regarded as not a way to spend free time. The use of free time may have another element to it, that of meeting the inner demands of people in a functional system. For instance, youths may wish to involve in what the society may regard as rebellious use of free time, but the expression is genuine; they simply want to express their own concept of free time. A case in point is the camping euphoria that engulfed many youths years ago. Many parents were opposed to such events. When the fad faded, the camping industry sought to rejuvenate it by introducing attractive packages. The clients of such an industry can not therefore be said to be free as their freedom has been structured. This ridicules the real meaning of free . By looking at how people spend their free time, it can be argued that the society imposes an environment that discourages imagination since childhood stage of an individual effectively rendering them helpless in determining what to do in their free time. Many people may find themselves wondering how to utilise their free time as a result of the limitation imposed upon them on how to enjoy freedom. The conservatism expressed by the society denies people this freedom to the extent they do not actually want it anymore. It, therefore, beats logic to place a demand on the same victims of structured cultural settings to be productive in the way they use their free time. With the society practically supervising activities done during free time, any pleasure derived from such activities dwindles. The inter-link between free time and the culture industry is depicted by the influence that the industry has on the conscious and unconscious components of peoples minds. What comes out evidently is that production significantly regulates consumption more so in mental and material realms of life. The culture industry sets the precedence of what people consume or accept particularly concerning their free time. Today, the consumption is, however, accompanied by some level of reservation since a substantial degree of consciousness is in use. Therefore, despite a strong influence by culture, individuals still display an element of independence shown by the strong resistance to certain cultural demands. The society has many aspects that contradict in terms of social acceptance and as such, not every concept that it imposes will be integrated by conscious minds (Adorno, 2001). Conclusion Free time is an individuals own formulation but it seems the society has imposed limits on what, how and when to spend ones free time. The commercialization of free time activities shows the aspect of structuring ones life. There seems to be well structured free time list of options, similar to those that govern working environments. This has in turn killed creativity and the level of imagination in developing minds that have to adhere to strict societal frameworks regarding their free time and leisure activities. Despite the strong cultural impact on the element of free time, there is hope that free time could bring the deserved freedom.
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