ESSAY ON LEISURE

Changes in Leisure Activity over Past 30 Years of UK

Changes in Leisure Activity over Past 30 Years of UK

This essay discusses the past, present and future of computer gaming as a leisure activity in the light of researches and literature on this subject matter. It discusses how computer gaming has changed in the last 30 years and what changes are expected in the future.

Leisure can be defined as “time remaining after all obligations have been met and individuals choice as to how that time is spent” (Bull, Hoose, and Weed, 2003: 33); In the Oxford dictionary the word leisure is defined as, time which can be spend as pleased; unoccupied or free time. The definition pertains that, leisure activities are not limited to any particular group of activities. It depends on the individual preferences on allocating the leisure time. The benefits of leisure are multiple, and these benefits have been backed by medical sciences, sociology, psychology and even religion.

Service sector which includes leisure, has replaced manufacturing sector as dominant contributor to the economy during the 20th century (Bull, Hoose, and Weed, 2003: 110). Leisure activities have changed a lot in last 30 years. They are not the same as the generation in the 80s use to see leisure time. Consider playing games online or having chat on social media. On trend that is fairly visible is the dominance of watching television. A study conducted in 2009 showed that 80% of the people rate watching TV as number one leisure activity. However, this trend is shifting towards computer games (Fisher and Gershuny, 2008: 25).

Mintel estimates the total value of UK leisure industry to be just over £66 billion in the year 2011. BBC News (2002) reported that, the boom in leisure sector has been primarily amplified by the development of technology driven products like, video games, cable TV, and DVDs etc. Technology has changed the landscape of how leisure time can be spent and boundaries of recreational activities. Earlier people didn't use to consider computer gaming as leisure. Computer gaming has been seen as more of a negative activity in the past. It has been blamed for raging aggression, social isolation, and addiction, in contrast to viewing it as a leisure activity for many people fitting their lifestyle.

Computer gaming has gained popularity at a very rapid rate, making its way on to mass entertainment, changing its old social context of play. Form two or three player game it has now changed to online gaming involving much more players. The mass distribution of these games started with the arcade gaming machines, one has to go in a public venue to play the games. Some of the games of those times such as Pac-man, Mortal Computer, and Space Invaders, were so popular that they entered the popular culture (Glenday, 2008). Computer games have made their way from those public places to homes, TV/computer, portable gaming devices, digital watches, laptops, and even mobile ...