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Thoughts upon the notion of free time

Photo-essay by Yorgos Paschos

A photo essay which contains a train of thought regarding the post-capitalist society that we live in. A philosophical approach of the notion of free time and how it is used for pure entertainment and not creativity. This discussion was generated when locked within our homes as restrictions of COVID 19 were implemented

Dark photograph, half showing a wall and the other half showing shadows of trees seen through window

Given the centrality of work in our everyday life, self-isolation can be sometimes hard. Our postmodernist addiction to work has transformed the blessing of free time to a tyranny of frightful nightmares, which deeply haunts our being and sinuously move us around our new iron cage, our home.

Dark photograph of a streak of clouds seen through two buildings.

Theodor Adorno, once argued that people have been refused the notion of freedom. Its value has belittled for such a long time that now people no longer cherish it. What is the distinction between free and leisure time in the kingdom of Capitalist Necropolis?

Our iron cages are more comfortable that ever, perfectly designed to serve this neoliberal capitalist work ethic which considers our free time as an instrument for the entertainment oof expended labor force. Gaming chairs, hipster posters, cool cups and modern desks. All in favor of labor. All against joy. Our constructed mental image of entertainment supports one way or another this vicious circle of repetition, which undermines our ability to perceive the time that we spend when not working as a creative outlet.

Dark photograph of buildings out of focus seen through a slightly open window

We seem unable to decide on our own how to deal with the time outside office and even worse home office since this repetitiveness of eternally reproduced tasks and routines produces boredom. Boredom according to Adorno is the reflection of objective dullness. As such, it is quite in a similar position to political apathy.

Apathy, boredom, repetitiveness, fancy iron cages, face masks, death, cases. They are killing us. Quickly!

We must respond. We must understand that this unprecedented isolation and quarantine generated genuine free time. Free time to think. Freedom to think. Freedom to reflect upon the notion of post-modern labor. Freedom to understand that this vicious circle of dullness and political apathy existed within this post-modern supermarket of boring ideas can only be destroyed by us.

We, the poor

We, the truth