Yasila KM
8806 General Paper November 2009 Answers – Paper 2 (Application Question) 12) How far do you agree with the author’s views o n work and leisure? Illustrate your answer/own views by referring to the ways ways in which you and your society regard work and leisure.
Gist of Passage Jameson charted the contribution play makes to shaping our lives, from earliest childhood through to its later incarnation as the sport we play or watch at School or as adults. He described other ways in which we spend our leisure time, though he impishly suggested that something normally characterised as a leisure activity – shopping – shopping – – could could be seen as a form of work. Less controversially, Jameson stressed the need for balance between work and play, but he then attacked the IT revolution for providing opportunities for leisure which damage both individuals and society as a whole. He ended by expressing the hope that we would spend our leisure in more productive, artistic and gentle activities.
Approach to Question 1. Students must address both areas: work and leisure. 2. They must be able to distinguish between the 2 arguments about work and play. 3. The different views about work and play must be analysed. 4. Thereafter, they must show how convinced they are of the various views via - justifications of views and applicability of views to their own society.
1
( General Comments / Examiner Report / November 2009)
Yasila KM
Sample evaluation of author’s views on play and work.
Text Material Para 1 Definition of Play – as inactive, relaxed , random and something we choose to do when we are not at work (Para1)
Agree with views to a large extent
Do not agree with views to a large extent
Jameson’s definition of play is certainly applicable to all contexts. It is true that play has to be unstructured and it has to be laid back at times. This sort of approach to the concept of play is critical for innovation and creativity. I believe that - It’s no exaggeration to claim that adults or children –will be void of imagination and zest for life if play is absent in their lives.
Jameson’s definition of play as a ‘random’ activity done at our own free will -is an outdated view. In this , current world success is marked by achievements . Man cannot be laid back and spend much time in pointless and meaningless activities. All sorts of play must be associated with good outcomes. The world is moving fast so there is no time for child play.
In Singapore, time and again we hear our leaders talk on the importance of creativity and the need to reinvent ourselves. We have hardly had any legendary icons emerging from our nation be it in - sports , science , maths or any other prominent field. Off course, we have made commendable progress, but we are still in search of an Einstein or ....... who can bring the nation to next level of intellectual excellence. However, we have always been too busy with our chase for quantifiable achievements. Even play is taken to be a serious matter that must be associated with outcomes. Our society must adopt Jameson’s definition and allow for all children and adults to engage in play for plain pleasure.
Para 3 organised social form of play 2
Jameson is of the view that play adds value to our life as it provides recreation, enhances health, stretches our talents and potential
In Singapore our children and adults have time for play, but it is not aimless play that is sedentary or arbitrary. We do focus on play that gives us good returns. For many adults fitness is critical and parents spend a large portion of money on activities and enrichment classes which develop their children’s physical and mental strength. Jamesons’s definition of play will certainly not be applicable to my society as it is highly achievement oriented. We are a small nation and cannot afford to be assume that unstructured play will eventually do the magic trick of producing great thinkers or leaders. The increasing rate of obesity in my nation and the alarming number of deaths occurring from heart related
Yasila KM
continues to be a major feature in the pastimes of adults, either actively pursued or enjoyed as spectacle. (L27)Participants keep themselves fit, enjoy the satisfactions of developing particular skills(28)achieving personal targets and experience the stimulus of competition.( L29)
Para 7 There is certainly now an even more urgent requirement to seek a healthy balance between work and play, whether we
3
and provides us with the challenges that we need. This is true as we can see how successful people : world leaders, experts in various filed balance their lives with some sort of an activity or a game. Our Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong is an active golf player. George Bush Senior has flying as his hobby, Barack Obama , keeps fit with a regular exercise routine actor Steven Seagull is an akido exponent, Jay Leno the popular talk show host has a passion for riding old motorbikes. Hence, Jameson has made logical deductions about how play benefits individuals be it young children or adults. This view has contextual relevance to my society -as in our school curriculum PE and other forms of activities are compulsory Extra Curricular activities - for children right from a young age. This view - of having a good balance between work and play is most essential for my society. It is important to have a good balance to maintain health, family ties and the sanity of individuals. My society has always stressed on efficiency and the speed of doing things. However, the increasing social problems, i.e. : juvenile delinquents, divorce rates and health related problems forced the government to implement the five – day work week in 2002. In short Jameson’s point of having a balance is very important to the well being of any society. Progress is important, work is vital for our existence but it should not be pursued at the expense of the individual and society‘s welfare.
diseases do not resonate with Jameson’s’ arguments that play adds wholesome value to our lives. Many adults forget play as they grow old and they do not have the habit or routine of engaging themselves with regular activities. My society which is an aging nation is constantly urging older people to engage in suitable activities. Hence, it is not a blanket rule that play always brings about positive benefits.
Though Jameson’s view of work life balance may be one that should be applauded. Such a balance is no longer an entitlement but a privilege in a society like mine. My society positions itself as 24/ 7 nation that works around the clock. Current technology gives us 24 hrs accesses to both people and services. Globalisatoon forces us to work late into the nights – with our counterparts who live at the other side of the globe. Hence, we do not have control over our own leisure time. We need to work or we are out of the economic game. Hence, work life balance- though is a noble view proposed by Jameson is not totally feasible in a society like mine.
