Jack Torrance, Jack Nicholson's character in the 1980 film The Shining, should get credit for popularizing (and making terrifying) a proverb that dates as far back as the mid-1600s: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Nicholson's character sure looked like he [RETURN TO ARTICLE]
FOLLOW US
Also by Silja J.A. Talvi
-
De-escalating the Drug War
Obama's pick to head ONDCP is better than your average drug czar.
MORE » -
Ending the War on Drugs
Will the Obama administration put justice back in the criminal justice system?
MORE » -
Our Town vs. Exxon
Marine biologist Riki Ott explains how Cordova, Alaska, rebounded 20 years after the oil spill.
MORE »
SUPPORT INDEPENDENT MEDIA
Invest in the news you need. In These Times is a nonprofit, reader-supported magazine and website.
subscribe today for $19.95!
SAVE 53% OFFTHE NEWSSTAND PRICE!
MOST READ
- Why Conservatives Can’t Fix Poverty
- The Girl’s Guide to Staying Safe Online
- Siri and the High-Tech Gender Gap
- It’s the Stupid Republicans, Stupid
- True Crime Finance Stories
- Is the Federal Government Helping to Bust Unions?
- Anger Sowing Seeds of a New Consumer Movement
- What Can Labor Learn?
- Marching Off the Cliff
- New Eden, Old Devils

Reader Comments
“Vacation time shouldn
Hi, Y’all !
Personally, I find it amazing what people will allow business to do to them in the name of profit. Corporations work Americans harder and harder to make that dollar and we allow them to push us to the very limit. In fact, if you’ve noticed, the “labor saving” devices have only enabled us to accomplish more and, consequently, increased expectations.
Can’t get it all done at work? Do it at home! What? Leisure time? What, are you lazy or stupid? Improper attitude! Vacation time? We give you Saturday and Sunday off unless we need you to finish something to meet an arbitrary deadline.
Until Americans stand up to their employers the way their grand-parents and great-grand- parents did, management will continue to treat them like robots.
Oh, one more thing. People continue to bash Europe and socialism as defined by Fox News. This is ridiculous. There is a chance of having an easier life and you refuse it? Unbelievable! Then again, I’ve seen it before with domestic violence victims. Side with the abuser and they’ll love you. It doesn’t work there and it doesn’t work with corporations either.
Perhaps the rightwingers need to look at what could be gained for themselves and quit whining that somebody might, just might, get something, no matter how small, for nothing.
Ta-ta!
After having spent a good thirty years on my career I now get about 5 or so weeks of vacation plus a couple more for holidays. In general, I usually do not use all these vacation days. Why? I have created my own reality where I actually enjoy what I do and work becomes a form of rest and relaxation anyhow. If there is any tweaking of vacation regulations I would think that unused vacation could be banked and /or cashed out by employers. In my opinion, if we all worked in something that we enjoyed, work does become “play”.
register a new account »Posting Security