4 ms·

A nice time to plug a lovely Bertrand Russel Essay, "In Praise of Idleness": http://harpers.org/archive/1932/10/in-praise-of-idleness/ http://harpers.org/archiv

A nice time to plug a lovely Bertrand Russel Essay, "In Praise of Idleness": http://harpers.org/archive/1932/10/in-praise-of-idleness/ http://harpers.org/archive/1932/10/in-praise-of-idleness/ I think there are likely many organizational and societal benefits here not listed in the OP article. Many of the comments here seem overly focused a simplistic costs_savings = hours_saved - days_off equation. Wildly speculative examples (for further research, if you will): * As quality of care increases, healthcare costs diminish (actually mentioned in the article) * Workers with free time are more likely to be informed citizens resulting in better policy -- yuge, broad benefits. Spreads the happiness. * Workers with more time are more raise children that will contribute more to GDP (because, e.g., they have time to help with homework -- I'm not even kidding) * Healthier workers remain in the workforce longer (adding more to GDP before drawing retirement) * Healthier workers cost less to maintain (because they're healthier). * Etc. Do I know any of these are true? No. But I do know that this is a complex system. Measuring a couple things and thinking you have an answer seems silly to me.

kartan 9y ago
I like your point. But I will like to advance it further. Even if it is reduction in productivity -even after factoring everything-, is production maximization our ultimate social goal? I though that we established capitalism because allows us to find good ways of producing what we need, so people can be healthier, more educated, happier, and - in general - to improve the citizens well being. But the goal is not to increase production at any cost, but to increase well being. Capitalism is a means to a purpose, Capitalism is not the purpose itself. So, as you say, to know the economic benefit is difficult. So if we are not sure, applying the measure has other benefits that can make worth it.

kartan 9y ago

I like your point. But I will like to advance it further. Even if it is reduction in productivity -even after factoring everything-, is production maximization our ultimate social goal? I though that we established capitalism because allows us to find good ways of producing what we need, so people can be healthier, more educated, happier, and - in general - to improve the citizens well being. But the goal is not to increase production at any cost, but to increase well being. Capitalism is a means to a purpose, Capitalism is not the purpose itself. So, as you say, to know the economic benefit is difficult. So if we are not sure, applying the measure has other benefits that can make worth it.