Blog #5: GL 350: What is the point of leisure? Compare and contrast Italian culture to your own as it relates to leisure.

        What is the purpose of leisure? Many different cultures and individuals have different answers for this question. However, leisure is universally understood across the world as taking time to focus on personal enjoyable activities, while giving a person’s mind rest from daily stress. In other words, it provides a form of escape for a person. The United States and Italy have similarities when it comes to activities centered on leisure. However, there also exist differences between the two cultures. Let me initially focus on the similarities.

         In both countries we relish having time with family and friends. We both like to go out to restaurants, and have good conversations. Food is a center of both of our cultures and we both love to try new delicacies to try and relax. Drink is also incredibly prevalent. Whether it is alcoholic beverages, or just simple unknown little pleasantries, we love to experience this on our off time. Furthermore, we both like to go to the movies, enjoy television programs in the comfort of our homes with loved ones, and for the younger generations to go out to nightclubs and engage in raucous activities. It is nice to say that both nations have strong similarities when it comes to leisurely activities, but it is also important to note the differences that apply to both countries.

         In Italy Italians have a unique interval of time, typically from the hours of 1-4 where they take off work and go home to their families. In The Italians Barzini states in chapter nine that, “ a man may lose his quality of a gentleman…if he violates ordinary laws…offences are graduated in a scale of intensity…the most serious, fourth degree, are those which touch the family.” This quote is prevalent because to the Italians having a designated interval of time where they can interact with their families is incredibly important. To them, family always comes first for they believe that family is the rock that one can always return to. In addition, they typically eat afternoon meals, socialize, and then eventually nap when coming home. While some Americans think this is because the Italians are inherently lazy, they make up for this break by working into the night, typically until 7:30. Moreover, they work the weekends, principally Saturdays. Americans obviously do not have siesta when they work in their jobs. Apart from this, Italians absolutely, undeniably, unconditionally, love Soccer! They love to see national games whenever the opportunity presents itself. It is so ingrained in their culture that Italians train their children at an early age to practice soccer diligently. In America, we enjoy soccer but it is by no means close to the level of what Italians expect from the sport. Instead, we love playing and watching Football. In general, Americans typically like to put up their feet, grab a beer or two, converse with friends, and watch the game. This is quite a powerful, different dynamic between the Italians and the Americans when it comes to leisure. 

         The large majority of Italians are Roman Catholic. Many sources typically vary by a few percentage points, but all agree that approximately 90% of the population is indeed Catholic. This has consequently affected their art and architecture, in such a way that makes Italians vastly interested in artful activities. For example, many enjoy drawing, painting, molding clay, spray-painting, and many other similar hobbies. Even if it is not someone’s particular occupation to be a painter, for example, that does not mean that one does not enjoy this activity. Today, for Italian class I had the unique opportunity to meet and greet a couple of lovely Italian ladies. We all conversed for a while, obviously with Danilo’s help, and eventually came upon the topic of what she does outside of owning and managing her restaurant. Apparently, she is an architect along with being a painter. She loves to paint on her free time when she is not busy with her business. This was quite interesting to me, for it furthers the point that for a typical Italian who might not be a renowned artist, can still enjoy the pleasures of engaging in artistic endeavors. It seems to me that the average American is not particularly fascinated with art and architecture. Instead, since they work all the time, they usually enjoy the alluring activity of sleeping.

         In The Smiles of Rome Edith Wharton describes in Italian Villas and Their Gardens that, “ there are such depths of mystery in the infinite green distances and in the cypress-shaded pools of the lower garden, that one has a sense of awe rather than of pleasure in descending from one level to another of darkly rustling green.” She is specifically talking about the Villa d’Este at Tivoli. Again, the power of art and architecture pervades even in a seemingly arbitrary villa. Italians take pride in the fact that they can take a seemingly ordinary garden and transform it into something almost ethereal. Beauty and decadence simply cannot be avoided whenever in Italy. While the United States may not have predominantly impressive works of art and architecture, it does have remarkable scenic views. Take for instance the Grand Canyon. The sheer volume and expanse of this landmass in Arizona is staggering. Americans can leisurely take a trip to this impressive natural phenomenon and enjoy it for what it is. In contrast, Italians don’t necessarily have impressive natural phenomenon’s to pleasantly enjoy such as the Grand Canyon. They should travel to the United States to see Nature at its best and enjoy it leisurely. Leisure is something that will always remain prevalent. Even in a couple hundred years from now when we become dominated by the workplace we will still make time for leisure. Perhaps our sense of leisure will be one of a more integrated approach encompassing all cultures not just only America and Italy.