Assignment 1: Discussion—Cultural Influences on Work and Leisure Time

American society places much emphasis on merit through work. Vacation periods in the U.S. are the shortest among industrialized nations. Many argue that advanced technology has only busied people’s lives further, instead of alleviating the time necessary to complete day-to-day tasks.

Using the readings for this module, Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet, complete the following:

• Examine Huizinga’s “Play Theory.” Why is “play” differentiated from other activity? What makes play “play” and not just another activity one does in the day?
• Considering this theory, evaluate how culture influences your play and leisure time.

Support your statements with examples and scholarly references.