Everything we pay for is leisure

[nnmartin]

It seems to be that paying for anything is a form of leisure.

Paying for anything can be summed up as 'the enjoyment, pursuit or continuance of leisure'.

So when we pay the rent, utilities, food bills or even a parking ticket then it all falls under this umbrella.

The same can be said for any form of private education, including university.

Now, what this means is that, fundamentally, people are only concerned about pleasing themselves and hiding behind artificial smoke screens of supposed righteousness, industry and drive, in order to fulfill their desires for leisure.

So can anyone think of something which they pay for that does not fall into this category?

 

[Student of X]

Have you ever had to spend money in the performance of a duty or an obligation?

 

[Revoltingest]

If you define "leisure" as "everything", then why would we need both words?

 

[nnmartin]

Student of X:

That could well fall under the category of 'work' , which is of course different.

However, please give an example and I will see.

 

[4consideration]

Income taxes.

You have to pay income taxes here in the U.S. in order to not be fined or jailed for having earned it.

 

[nnmartin]

If you define "leisure" as "everything", then why would we need both words?

I believe I used the words 'something' or 'anything' so you are changing the semantics.

That is not allowed I'm afraid

 

[nnmartin]

Income taxes.

You have to pay income taxes here in the U.S. in order to not be fined or jailed for having earned it.

That is true, but it abides by the definition given of leisure.

Paying for anything can be summed up as 'the enjoyment, pursuit or continuance of leisure'.

So yes, we pay our income taxes in order to be free from jail to continue our pursuit of leisure.

 

[McBell]

I believe I used the words 'something' or 'anything' so you are changing the semantics.

That is not allowed I'm afraid

Except that semantics is exactly what you are playing in the very post you claim semantics is not allowed...

Hypocrite much?

 

[nnmartin]

It is important to the definition of paying for leisure, that we maintain the wording of the main clause in the OP.

 

[4consideration]

Perhaps.

But I look at it as, we pay income taxes as legislated requirement to exercising our right to earn a living -- in order that we may eat -- and continue to live.

 

[McBell]

It is important to the definition of paying for leisure, that we maintain the wording of the main clause in the OP.

Ah, so you are saying that only you are allowed to play loose and free with semantics in this thread?

 

[Revoltingest]

All pets are dogs. A cat is a kind of a dog. So is a snake or a fish.

 

[Student of X]

Now, what this means is that, fundamentally, people are only concerned about pleasing themselves and hiding behind artificial smoke screens of supposed righteousness, industry and drive, in order to fulfill their desires for leisure.

I don't think that's what people are really after. I think people are after an experience of being truly alive. It's just that people suck at it.

"Probably the authentic person is himself complete or final in some sense; he certainly experiences subjective finality, completion or perfection at times; and he certainly perceives it in the world. It may turn out that only peakers can achieve full identity; that non-peakers must always remain incomplete, deficient, striving, lacking something, living among means rather than among ends; or if the correlation turns out not to e perfect, I am certain at least that it is positive, between authenticity and peak-experiencing." -Abraham Maslow

"Expression and communication in the peak–experiences tend often to become poetic, mythical, and rhapsodic, as if this were the natural kind of language to express such states of being." -Abraham Maslow

 

[InformedIgnorance]

It seems to be that paying for anything is a form of leisure.

Paying for anything can be summed up as 'the enjoyment, pursuit or continuance of leisure'.

So when we pay the rent, utilities, food bills or even a parking ticket then it all falls under this umbrella.

The same can be said for any form of private education, including university.

If we use the definitions you have provided, sure; I would however suggest that 'leisure' therefore could mean almost anything, such as simply desiring to continue to breathe.

Now, what this means is that, fundamentally, people are only concerned about pleasing themselves and hiding behind artificial smoke screens of supposed righteousness, industry and drive, in order to fulfill their desires for leisure.

No, according to your definitions they are concerned with 'leisure' not pleasing themselves (a small difference I know but important given your definitions). And there is nothing to suggest that those 'smoke screens' are not valid reasons rather than mere excuses.

So can anyone think of something which they pay for that does not fall into this category?

Given that everything can be construed to be done in order to pursue or maintain 'leisure' - no, nothing that we pay for (and indeed nothing we do not pay for) does not fall into this category.

It is however not a very useful category as it is so vaguely defined as to be almost meaningless.

 

[ChristineES]

I don't know. I don't think medical work could be called leisure- and people pay a lot for that.

 

[nnmartin]

That would fall under 'the continuance of leisure' - ie: we must have medical work done to us so that we can continue to exist in our leisure pursuing states.

However, I think there may be some exceptions.

Someone mentioned duty and obligation.

Paying the expenses to go to a funeral would need a very cynical observer to label that as 'leisure' - although it could of course be viewed in such a manner.

Paying an insurance premium is another - this is a 'peace of mind' type payment and could be considered 'continuing the pursuit of leisure in an indirect manner', as peace of mind is surely quite an extravagant taste.

anyone have any other possible exceptions?

 

[Revoltingest]

That would fall under 'the continuance of leisure' - ie: we must have medical work done to us so that we can continue to exist in our leisure pursuing states.
However, I think there may be some exceptions.
Someone mentioned duty and obligation.
Paying the expenses to go to a funeral would need a very cynical observer to label that as 'leisure' - although it could of course be viewed in such a manner.
Paying an insurance premium is another - this is a 'peace of mind' type payment and could be considered 'continuing the pursuit of leisure in an indirect manner', as peace of mind is surely quite an extravagant taste.
anyone have any other possible exceptions?

It seems that you live a life entirely devoted to leisure.

 

[Kerr]

It seems to be that paying for anything is a form of leisure.

Paying for anything can be summed up as 'the enjoyment, pursuit or continuance of leisure'.

So when we pay the rent, utilities, food bills or even a parking ticket then it all falls under this umbrella.

The same can be said for any form of private education, including university.

Now, what this means is that, fundamentally, people are only concerned about pleasing themselves and hiding behind artificial smoke screens of supposed righteousness, industry and drive, in order to fulfill their desires for leisure.

So can anyone think of something which they pay for that does not fall into this category?

I train martial arts and that costs money. That I do that has nothing to do with leisure.

 

[Erebus]

Now, what this means is that, fundamentally, people are only concerned about pleasing themselves and hiding behind artificial smoke screens of supposed righteousness, industry and drive, in order to fulfill their desires for leisure.

Fulfillment of desires perhaps, but not necessarily desire for leisure.

I just payed about £10 to have my dissertation printed, bound and kept in a zip-lock bag with the relevant forms. This is because I desire a decent degree, but I would hardly call the whole process leisurely.

 

[nnmartin]

I train martial arts and that costs money. That I do that has nothing to do with leisure.

so you mean to say that you get absolutely no enjoyment out of your training?