Participating in social media, attending as a spectator theatre, concerts, performances, sports, engaging in game playing, and hobbies and other forms of entertainment require participants to have leisure. Spectators watch and performers do. Authors write and readers read. Racecar drivers and jockeys compete, and audiences bet on winners and wait for the crashes.

Excitement and the resulting brain stimulation is a distraction. Population distraction is traditionally desired by governments, especially at times of pending political pressure. Romans used lions and Christians, and our government benefits from the diversion engendered by a range of entertainment activities.

Those individuals and organizations providing the entertainment profit, while we, as a society, pay the price for the lost benefit of what might have been created had those being entertained rather been self-improved or trained through productivity focused education.

Is the Chinese government’s limitation on the use of the Internet for game playing socially constructive? Clearly, it depends on the effectiveness of the alternative use of the time. Simply creating public leisure, without providing a constructive filling of the gap, is a recipe for political chaos, because of a mass focus on wants versus haves. Those having “free time” should be provided with a ladder to climb to a higher level of personal benefit. It’s called “education”.

The education does not have to be trade school-like and can prepare students for careers and therefore personal pursuits, matching the needs of the individual and the community.

The question will arise as to the property rights of an individual’s time and brain use, versus the ability or obligation of a government body.  That body can be either authoritarian, or publicly elected. In either case, does a body providing the benefit of protection of borders, law and order, health, and education services to citizens, have a right to influence or direct the use of their bodies and minds? Can they be drafted into government service? If the body has such an ability, to what degree might it be acceptable? If the body has no such ability, what should be either the payment for the services or the reason for the body doing so?

I do not have all the answers to the questions raised but do believe that we would all be better if we spent less time being entertained and more time improving ourselves so that we could achieve greater success.

 

Arthur Lipper, Chairman                          arthurlipper@gmail.com
British Far East Holdings Ltd.