The PoL Journal

A thoughtful, well-researched destination to explore how our individual decisions not only affect ourselves, but other people, our culture, and the planet. 

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Philosophy

philosophy

In Praise of Learned Optimism

“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.“ – Noam Chomsky, Linguist, Philosopher, and Cognitive Scientist We write a lot about optimism here at Philosophy of Leisure, and with good reason. Without […]

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October 18, 2021

philosophy

The Paradox of Overchoice: Too Many Options

“People of the future may suffer not from an absence of choice but from a paralyzing surfeit of it. They may turn out to be victims of that peculiarly super-industrial dilemma: overchoice.” — Alvin Toffler, Future Shock (1970) It’s been said that having too much choice can be its own sort of poverty, as we […]

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September 27, 2021

quiet money

Quiet Money: Finding Financial Calm in a Loud World

“People who live far below their means enjoy a freedom that people busy upgrading their lifestyles can’t fathom.“ — Naval Ravikant Money can sometimes be a mysterious and anxiety-inducing topic, as it’s intimately connected with both our ability to care for ourselves, and even our self-worth in some cases, but it’s also often confusing and […]

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September 6, 2021

Adopting an Artisan's Work Model

quiet money

Adopting an Artisan’s Work Model: Sustainable Success

“The place to improve the world is first in one’s own heart and head and hands, and then work outward from there.”  — ROBERT M. PIRSIG, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values Many of us know that the hustle and productivity culture of the Western world simply doesn’t work, no […]

August 9, 2021

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leisure

Is Emotional Intelligence the Secret to Happiness and Success?

“In a high-IQ job pool, soft skills like discipline, drive and empathy mark those who emerge as outstanding.”  — DANIEL GOLEMAN, Author, Emotional Intelligence, Why it Can Matter More than IQ We live in a world that worships beauty, celebrity, athletic prowess, and graduate degrees in hard skills – such as math, medicine, computer programming, […]

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July 8, 2021

A Whole Year
of Lovely

Somewhere along the way our society decided that being busy was a status symbol. And technological advances have enabled, and encouraged, us to be always available.
Yet leisure and rest help us to think more clearly, decide more logically, consume more wisely, innovate and create more freely, and connect more deeply. It's about having the space to build the life we choose, rather than having one thrust upon us, by default.

Five Prompts for a Less harried life