The Cult of Busyness Ehrenreich Analysis

By Barbara Ehrenreich

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67 years old Born August 26, 1941 Isabelle Oxley and Ben Alexander Ph. D in Cell Biology Rockefeller University Writer Columnist Feminist Socialist Political activist

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Writes on social topics Social criticism 14 books Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in  America – New York Times Bestseller Columnist at New York Times and Time Magazine Lives near Key West Florida

Being busy = being successful

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No more hobbys, but more than one career

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Men attracted to busy successful women

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Nickel and Dimed from the American Ruling Class

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Busyness does not lead to success Success can cause busyness Busyness = less time for worthwhile activities Come so far to lose everything worthwhile

“Success in United States culture is becoming more and more dependent on personal image. It doesn’t matter whether you’re any good at what you do as long as you say you’re good at what you do and look and dress the part.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Over the past twenty years, the media have devoted considerable attention to Americans who are too busy to pause for breath. Yet it is likely that these career-fixated, time-obsessed people are still a distinct minority. The majority still follow the example of Homer Simpson: come home at 5:30, eat supper, and watch television. What have you observed about people and their attitudes toward work? Have you noticed any differences between the way women approach this issue of work versus leisure time and the way men do?

Tyler Durden: The things you own end up owning you.

Obsessed with Busy Lifestyle

Tyler Durden on Modern Society

Tyler Durden: Do you know what a duvet is? Narrator: It's a comforter... Tyler Durden: It's a blanket. Just a blanket. Now why do guys like you and me know what a duvet is? Is this essential to our survival, in the hunter-gatherer sense of the word? No. What are we then? Narrator: ...Consumers? Tyler Durden: Right. We are consumers. We're the bi-products of a lifestyle obsession.

Tyler Durden: It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything.

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Pastime -agreeable activity Monologue – long speech by one actor Tribulations – cause of suffering Ingestion - absorb something into body Distractable – attention easily caught Fey – irrational; supernatural Incorrigible – unable to be corrected or changed Conspicuous – attracting attention

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Upwardly mobile – aspiring to higher class Insignia – official symbol Neurosurgery – operation on nervous system Upscale - expensive Feminization – make something suitable for women Shiftily - resourcefully Dispersion – distribution of values Demeanor – outward behavior Adage – a saying

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Slovenly - an offensive term meaning not concerned about conventional standards of personal hygiene and tidiness Acumen – sharpness of mind