[BJones12]

Between 1965 and 1995 the average American gained about 6 hours per week of leisure time. They then used most of the additional free time to watch TV.

[jgeada]

And what's happened since 1995 (30 years ago!) ?

Because all the trends seem to indicate that to make a living people are working longer hours, holding multiple concurrent jobs (eg https://gameofjobs.org/are-americans-now-more-likely-than-ev...), and holding off retirement.

[themaninthedark]

We started offshoring manufacturing and growing the service economy?

Now the service economy is turning into the sharing economy, I think the only thing we are sharing is the greater profits and they are taking the lions share.

[financetechbro]

What’s the problem with that? People are free to use their leisure time how they see fit.

[dugidugout]

They were likely pushing back on the original comment, such that it isn't solely:

> ...those who decide about how your time is being used...

which stops individuals from:

> [spending] more time thinking, writing, playing piano, and taking walks — with other people.

Which it seems you would agree with. I don't see where they asserted whether this was a problem to address.

[robocat]

Source? Surely depends on the population chosen e.g. does average American include retirees?

[missedthecue]

Pretty sure the figure he's quoting is average hours working. bls.gov tracks this.

So no, no retirees or students or unemployed or disabled in that figure.

[nitwit005]

It does include people who would like to work more hours though. One of the trends has been people increasingly struggling to get enough hours.