Leisure's Relationship to Values

WHAT WE CHOOSE TO DO in our free time is closely related to our system of values. Our values are influenced significantly by our religious upbringing and our views of right and wrong. Nowhere do we reveal ourselves more completely than in our worship and in our leisure. The link between leisure activities and spiritual life is evident in their mutual attributes: deciding what is right and what is wrong in our behavior. It is perhaps the opportunity for self discipline in leisure which influences our personal code of conduct and our values more than anything else.

The way we use leisure is basically determined by our attitudes. Likewise, our morals and ethics are linked to our attitudes. Psychiatrists say that it is not so much what happens to us, but rather our attitudes toward these happenings that make us who we really are. We cannot have attitudes toward anything without making a judgment - without being discriminatory. In effect, when we discriminate we are silently saying to ourselves, "this is helpful - that is harmful; this is good - that is bad; this is right - that is wrong."

The decisions we make are based on our system of values. And, our values are never more on display than they are in the choices of the things we do to satisfy ourselves. Therefore, leisure not only provides the opportunity to help shape our values, it also offers a setting for us to be able to express our values.

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Adapted from thoughts by Charles Brightbill