TOEFL Daily Academic Discussion Topic- Your professor is teaching a class on economics.

Q- Your professor is teaching a class on economics. Write a post responding to the professor’s question.

In your response, you should do the following:

1. Express and support your opinion.
2. Make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.

An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

“In 1930, a famous economist predicted that at the end of the twentieth century, an average worker would work only 15 hours a week, thanks to advances in technology. This did not happen, as we all know. Nonetheless, the balance between work time and free time remains an interesting question. So, let me ask you today: Twenty years in the future, will people have more leisure time (free time) and less work than they have today? Why, or why not?”

Claire: I think it is likely that people will work shorter hours in twenty years than they do today. Our societies are becoming wealthier all the time. It does not seem necessary for people to continue working as hard as they do today. At some point, having more free time should be more important than creating more wealth.

Paul: I am not sure people will work less in the future. As Doctor Achebe wrote, a shortening of the workweek was predicted before. There are many factors that determine how long people work. Our economic system is very competitive. Workers are pushed to work longer and longer hours so that companies have a competitive advantage.

Ans: While technological progress suggests increased leisure, reality differs. Rising living costs compel longer work hours for many, particularly in high-cost cities. Automation, while streamlining tasks, results in job displacement, necessitating skill acquisition and field transitions. Societal values still emphasise long hours as a mark of dedication. Global business operations demand flexible schedules, extending work beyond traditional hours.

Moreover, pervasive technology has shifted leisure to online activities, like gaming and streaming, often blurring work-relaxation boundaries. Despite tech potential for shorter work hours, societal norms, economic structures, and evolving leisure preferences make this prospect unlikely.

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