[atemerev]

Because the masses need to be be busy, otherwise they would get ideas.

[M95D]

> otherwise they would get ideas.

No, they won't. They'll just spend more time on their phones watching cat videos.

[atemerev]

True, that usually works, but not in the time of economic downturn.

[Ygg2]

But why not work 8 days a week? 7 regular days and one extra day spread out. 9.5 hours 7 days a week.

That way, masses won't ever have time to think!

[atemerev]

The current balance of engagement / sustainability of 8 hours per day, 5 days a week was reached after decades of trial and error. One might argue that it converged during the industrial age (it was 6 days a week in agricultural age), but it worked fine in a post-industrial economy as well.