Fleeing from TV action and contact stress

If the wishes of German citizens were to be followed, the 1990s could be characterized by a new lifestyle: more peace and quiet for oneself and less activity-based leisure with others, more time for cultural interests and less binge-watching on television. This suggests the first signs of a reaction against the hectic pace of the 1980s. This is the conclusion of a new representative survey conducted by the BAT Leisure Research Institute, in which 2,000 people aged 14 and over were asked about their future aspirations and current leisure activities.

Today, a passion for television and the pressure to maintain contact with family, friends, and acquaintances determine the leisure time of Germans: watching television (87 %), spending time with family (62 %), being with friends (59 %), and private obligations towards acquaintances (47 %) currently still top the ranking of the most frequent leisure activities.

From nonstop communication to cultivated tranquility?

In stark contrast were the personal expectations for the 1990s: Television consumption was to be drastically reduced. Leisure activities with others were also to lose their currently dominant importance. While family, friends, and acquaintances had previously been the focus of free time for every second German, only one in three wanted this to be the case in the future. The impression arises: Television is robbing people of their free time, and others are preventing them from enjoying their leisure time according to their own wishes.

People are seeking retreats and less relationship stress. They want peace and quiet back. "According to the public's ideal, the 1990s should have been a privatized era of leisure," says Prof. Dr. Horst W. Opaschowski, head of the BAT Institute. As a reaction to the turbulent 1980s, a vision of peace and security is emerging. But the gap between desire and reality is large, almost too large. The need to have more time for personal development, to attend leisure and holiday academies, and to make greater use of the diverse cultural offerings can also be seen as an expression of very personal dissatisfaction.

Unless clinging to old habits gets in the way of one's future plans or the self-imposed calm gets on the nerves of the German citizens, the B·A·T Institute believes that "Do something for yourself" could become the motto of the coming years.

Wording of the question

Reality: "These cards list various things you can do in your free time. Please find the ones you did last week or over the weekend."„

Wish: "Imagine you had much more free time in the future. What would you do most of all?"„