The more that was produced, the more that was consumed. There never came a point when industry had produced enough to satisfy consumers. Hunnicutt said there has been a shift in values and beliefs that has stopped the trend of decreasing hours. Work has become something like a modern religion. It's our human identity, our meaning in life.
Leisure is trivialized.
While the current federal labor statistic of 39.2 hours as the average workweek appears modest, others say it is not a true reflection of how much we really work. Analysts point out that women work more weeks out of the year than they used to, and housework, therefore has become an additional job for parents to face when they come home. A private 1998 study by Market Facts of 1,000 people randomly surveyed nationwide reported an average workweek for full- time jobholders at 49.2. Hunnicutt said he expects hours of toil to rise for at least two more generations. But then, he predicts, the pattern will shift again and work hours will decrease.