One in three Germans is bored
Should leisure activities already be learned in school?
More free time, more boredom. This concise formula sums up a phenomenon that causes widespread bewilderment. Whether politicians or sociologists, trade unionists or business owners, and ultimately the affected citizens themselves, they all face the dilemma that increased free time often brings not the hoped-for enjoyment, but rather annoyance.
Klagten bei einer Repräsentativumfrage des Allensbacher Instituts für Demoskopie im Jahre 1953 nur 18 %der Bevölkerung über Langeweile, so hat sich dieser Anteil, wie das BAT Freizeit-Forschungsinstitut ermittelte, mit rund 34 % inzwischen fast verdoppelt. Wie aus der neuen repräsentativen Befragung von 2.000 Personen über 14 Jahre hervorgeht, ist vom Leiden der Langeweile am stärksten die Gruppe der Nichtberufstätigen betroffen. 41 % der Schüler, 38% der Hausfrauen, 38 % der Rentner und Pensionäre sowie verständlicherweise, über die Hälfte der Arbeitslosen, führen das Heer der Langeweiler an, denen an Sonntagen und Feiertagen „die Zeit so lang wird“, daß ihnen die „Decke auf den Kopf fällt“.
The BAT researchers found that the personal ability of many German citizens to make satisfying use of their leisure time lags behind the societal demand for more leisure time. Leisure studies are not yet included in any school curriculum. But perhaps the time is not far off when learning about leisure activities will be recognized as a new educational task for schools.
Singles: Sex yes, relationship no
Singles aren't particularly fortunate when it comes to their sex lives. While they—especially younger ones—have the opportunity for a multitude of casual partners, they don't find true satisfaction in them. They suffer from the psychological barrier to building deeper interpersonal relationships. As a result, sexual contact remains superficial and cannot offer the same satisfaction as a lasting emotional bond.
As the BAT Leisure Research Institute discovered in a qualitative survey, life is made even more difficult for singles by the fact that their environment expects them to have a more sex-oriented approach to leisure activities. When asked about their desired or aspirational ideas regarding contact with other people, "sex and flirting" (9 %) only ranks third, after "being with friends" (35 %) and "preferring to be alone" (11 %). According to the leisure researchers, this clearly demonstrates that the high-life image and reality do not align.
The relationship problems of singles are the late consequence of a narcissistic imprint, as psychologists say, that is, an early-developed unconscious self-love that leaves no special room for other love objects.
These singles suffer from an inability to further develop existing relationships. If a bond threatens to become too close, they flee from that community to avoid losing their identity or being swallowed up, as they put it. This flight from love is painful because the longing for closeness and security remains. They turn to a new partner, initially maintaining a comforting distance. And the cycle begins anew.
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