<story><title>The Free-Time Paradox in America</title><url>http://www.theatlantic.com/A/archive/2016/09/the-free-time-paradox-in-america/499826/?single_page=true</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>jondubois</author><text>When you get rich, your life becomes much more interesting - You get more opportunities and you get &amp;#x27;lucky&amp;#x27; more often. Also, your work actually makes your feel good about yourself. In effect, life feels like a game; you actually get to win from time to time.&lt;p&gt;The richer you get, the more you win.&lt;p&gt;When you&amp;#x27;re poor, life is boring, nothing good ever happens to you and your work makes you feel like shit. The only time poor people feel good is when they&amp;#x27;re playing a computer game which simulates the feeling of &amp;#x27;winning&amp;#x27; which they never get in real life.&lt;p&gt;Games are fun because they put you on a level playing field with other players - Your skills actually have an effect on outcomes.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>jondubois</author><text>I wonder if my theory explains why games are so popular these days (and so lucrative).&lt;p&gt;Our economic system is taking away opportunities from poor people and giving them to rich people - Games are like a drug to keep poor people sedated and docile.</text></comment>
<story><title>The Free-Time Paradox in America</title><url>http://www.theatlantic.com/A/archive/2016/09/the-free-time-paradox-in-america/499826/?single_page=true</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>jondubois</author><text>When you get rich, your life becomes much more interesting - You get more opportunities and you get &amp;#x27;lucky&amp;#x27; more often. Also, your work actually makes your feel good about yourself. In effect, life feels like a game; you actually get to win from time to time.&lt;p&gt;The richer you get, the more you win.&lt;p&gt;When you&amp;#x27;re poor, life is boring, nothing good ever happens to you and your work makes you feel like shit. The only time poor people feel good is when they&amp;#x27;re playing a computer game which simulates the feeling of &amp;#x27;winning&amp;#x27; which they never get in real life.&lt;p&gt;Games are fun because they put you on a level playing field with other players - Your skills actually have an effect on outcomes.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>carleverett</author><text>Very interesting theory - I think I agree.  I would add though that a good portion of the causality is going the other way, where people who find work fun and stimulating become more successful, and those who are bored by it stay poor.&lt;p&gt;These are broad generalizations of course that don&amp;#x27;t capture all of what&amp;#x27;s really happening, but they&amp;#x27;re interesting to think about.</text></comment>