issue 30 // volume 40

Office hours: Tuesday to Thursday

» Would you rather have three-day workweeks or early retirement?

Elliot Chan
Opinions Editor
M opinions
@theotherpress.ca

 

o figure: a Mexican

billionaire is suggesting
that we should all convert toa
three-day workweek—un hours
a day—in exchange for a later
retirement at 70 or 75 years old.
Business magnate, investor, and
philanthropist, Carlos Slim,
one of the richest people in the
world, has gone on record in
saying that people would live
much happier lives if they were
given four days to recover and
relax.

I believe it! I know I would
be much happier, spending
four days lounging around not
worrying about work, though
granted I have never been
employed in a nine-to-five kind
of job. The hours add up, and
working takes up a significant
part of life. It would bea shame
to waste it all, regardless of
when your hours are and what
your schedule is like.

Overall, I totally agree with
him. I know personally that I

weekend than I am when my
schedule is fully loaded and I’m

and obligation to the next. I

: like the idea of having an u1-

: hour workday, because I have

: a the-sooner-I-get-it-done-

: the-sooner-I-can-rest attitude.
: Lalso rarely ever consider

: retirement: I like what I’m

: doing and I hope! progress and :
: pursue my career for as long as
: possible.

In North America, it’s not

: easy to get time off. We live in

: a work-first-rest-later society;

: a place where making money

: is the number one priority. Just

: look around and see how many

: people are sleep deprived. There
: isno doubt that a three-day

: workweek could change that

: workaholic mentality. I think

: we would all benefit from a

: little more time for socializing,

: a little more time for exercising,
: anda little more time for simple
: contemplation.

: A 2008 survey conducted by :
: the Families and Work Institute
: showed that 46 per cent of

: those given an option to have a

: condensed workweek chose to

: use it at one point or another,

: and 59 per cent of those who

: weren't given such options,

: wished they had it.

The general public is split

: : on that matter, because so
am more productive after along :

: many people are working for

: retirement. That is the ultimate
hing f ‘bili : goal in life, and I think that is

fusing trom one responsipuity : the wrong mentality. Waiting

: for retirement to me is a scary

: gamble, because who knows if
: one will ever reach that finish

: line. Regardless of retirement, I
: think one needs to focus more

: on finding a work/life balance,

: regardless of the workweek.
We live our first 25 years

: without the fear of labour—if

: we are lucky—as we have our

: parents taking care of us while
: we get an education. Then

: we live the next 40-45 years

: working. After that, if we are

: really lucky, we get to retire and
: live for maybe another 15 years.
: That isa common reality to

: many.

: Yes, I like Slim’s idea of

: a three-day workweek, but I

: prefer the Stefan Sagmeister’s

: way of thinking. Sagmeister,

: a graphic designer, spoke

: about taking five years out of

: those 15 retirement years and
interspersing them in the 40

: years or so of work life. He too

: believed that people needed

: breaks from working, but they

: shouldn't be force to work

: well into their seniority either.

: Rather, people should be able to
: enjoy the world while they still
: have some semblance of youth.
: By having a yearlong sabbatical
: every seven years to relax,

: travel, pursue personal projects,
: rediscover career callings, and

: reassess life’s values, we can

: become healthier citizens and

: happier workers.

 

opinions // 15

 

I won't save your baby

» Children left in hot cars are parent's responsibility, not civilians

 
   
    

i’ Elliot Chan

/ 4. Opinions Editor
= Mopinions
Sey, @theotherpress.ca

pars leaving their
children in the car while
they run errands is nothing
uncommon—sadly. And recent
tragedies remind us of all the
bad moms and dads out there,
too ignorant and irresponsible
to care about their children’s
safety. I’m saddened by the
death of those infants, but

I have no sympathy for bad
parenting. If it’s preventable,
it should have been prevented;
otherwise, you don’t deserve
children.

Walking through the
parking lot of shopping malls
and supermarkets, it’s not
unusual to see an automobile
with a child or a pet inside.
The common behaviour when
witnessing such a circumstance

: is to mind your own business.

: The parents or guardians will

: return shortly. It’s wrong to

: make a big deal, smash the

: windows, and call the police,

: right? Even if the being trapped
inside is suffocating, dying?

If you are heroic, you

: are also foolish. Mentalities

of bad parents are also the

; mentalities of bad people. It’s a
: generalization, but if you're bad
: at one, there are few redeeming
: qualities that can balance

 

: it out. Parenting attributes

: should be a parent’s identity

: first and foremost. That means
: if you break a bad parent’s car
window, you are probably going :

: to get sued. It doesn’t matter if
: the child is saved or not. They
: will blame it on you, the red-
handed car thief and alleged

: child abductor. If you call the

but if you’re wrong, you'll have

: from their parents. You just
: broke up a family for essentially :
: no reason. So, are you a hero?
: The only way to stop infants :
: and toddlers from dying in

: vehicles while their parents

: shop, bank, or whatever, is

: that the parents take onus for
: what they are doing. They need :
: to stop leaving their children
: in the car. That is the only

: solution!

But I do understand the

: parent’s psyche. All through

: my childhood, my parents have
: left me sitting in the backseat

: of their Honda Civic, while

: they did whatever adults do.

: Did anyone make a big deal

: out of it in 1994? Probably not,
: and I grew up just fine. Do I

: think my parents should have

: been arrested for that act?

: Probably not, but they should

: oo, : : have at least understood the

: cops and you're right, you might : consequences. Did they do
: save a child from an abusive life, : . .

: something wrong? Well, all

: that is still table. But if
: social services take a child away : atis still debatable. Buti

: they did do something wrong,

I would have been hurt, and

: their guilt would be their

punishment. I’m not angry. I’m

: just disappointed.

Bad parenting kills, if

: it’s not in the car, it can be in
: the bathtub or on a sidewalk.

Only the parents know what

: is right for their children and

: therefore, they should pay the

: full price when something goes
: wrong, especially when doing

: something asinine, like leaving
: ahelpless infant in the car.

I will not break a car

: window to save your baby. I will
: turna blind eye and live with

: no regrets. Your baby is your

: responsibility and you are the

: one who will live with the guilt.
: Not me. I have no sympathy for
: bad parenting, and children all
: over the world die all the time. I
: can't save them, and I won't save
: yours. It’s only fair. So let’s hope
: your kid learns to opena car

: door sooner than later.