Pankaj Chhaparwal

The "Tragedy of Leisure" posits that an abundance of free time—resulting from technological progress, AI, and declining birth rates—often leads to societal instability rather than contentment. The core argument is that humans are "wired for scarcity," and when the friction of survival is removed, we lack the temperament to use that "executive time" for self-cultivation. Instead, our stress thresholds drop, leading to "hair-trigger" outrage over minor inconveniences and a tendency for the mind to wander toward paranoia, conspiracy theories, and hyper-politicization. This concept frames modern populism as a "luxury belief" born of ease rather than pain. While earlier generations were too occupied with labor to dwell on abstract societal grievances, the modern era’s "gaping diary" allows for a focus on culture wars and identity politics. As labor-saving tech like AI continues to reduce work hours, the theory warns that we may face a future of increased political chaos unless we find productive ways to anchor the human psyche in a world without traditional toil. ==== As summarized by Gemini. And I agree with every point.