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Why a medieval peasant got more vacation time than you

Life for the medieval peasant was certainly no picnic. His life was shadowed by fear of famine, disease and bursts of warfare. His diet and personal hygiene left much to be desired. But despite his reputation as a miserable wretch, you might envy him one thing: his vacations.

Plowing and harvesting were backbreaking toil, but the peasant enjoyed anywhere from eight weeks to half the year off. The Church, mindful of how to keep a population from rebelling, enforced frequent mandatory holidays. Weddings, wakes and births might mean a week off quaffing ale to celebrate, and when wandering jugglers or sporting events came to town, the peasant expected time off for entertainment. There were labor-free Sundays, and when the plowing and harvesting seasons were over, the peasant got time to rest, too. In fact, economist Juliet Shor found that during periods of particularly high wages, such as 14th-century England, peasants might put in no more than 150 days a year.

As for the modern American worker? After a year on the job, they gets an average of eight vacation days annually.

It wasn’t supposed to turn out this way: John Maynard Keynes, one of the founders of modern economics, made a famous prediction that by 2030, advanced societies would be wealthy enough that leisure time, rather than work, would characterize national lifestyles. So far, that forecast is not looking good.

Read entire article: blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/08/29/why-a-medieval-peasant-got-more-vacation-time-than-you/

I'm still trying to figure out how to take the four weeks of use or lose leave I have to burn before Dec 31st. Or I could just be a total d-bag and request all 10 weeks I'll have on the books, but I like to carry over the six weeks I'm allowed.

Decisions, decisions.

Should I go to another Georgia Southern game in Statesboro? Maybe catch a game in Missoula for the first time? Drive to Maine to see UD play up there and catch the New England fall foliage? So much time to kill.

93henfan wrote:I'm still trying to figure out how to take the four weeks of use or lose leave I have to burn before Dec 31st. Or I could just be a total d-bag and request all 10 weeks I'll have on the books, but I like to carry over the six weeks I'm allowed.

Decisions, decisions.

Should I go to another Georgia Southern game in Statesboro? Maybe catch a game in Missoula for the first time? Drive to Maine to see UD play up there and catch the New England fall foliage? So much time to kill.

28 days vacation is a lot less than the average medieval peasant.. And you're lucky to have 4 weeks vacation, that's a lot higher than the American average worker.

expandspanos wrote:

93henfan wrote:I'm still trying to figure out how to take the four weeks of use or lose leave I have to burn before Dec 31st. Or I could just be a total d-bag and request all 10 weeks I'll have on the books, but I like to carry over the six weeks I'm allowed.

Decisions, decisions.

Should I go to another Georgia Southern game in Statesboro? Maybe catch a game in Missoula for the first time? Drive to Maine to see UD play up there and catch the New England fall foliage? So much time to kill.

28 days vacation is a lot less than the average medieval peasant.. And you're lucky to have 4 weeks vacation, that's a lot higher than the American average worker.

I know I know. Just providing counterpoint. I'm fortunate to be a fed civy with over 15 years (max leave bracket).

I'm also glad that the time that I do work is in air conditioning, not back-breaking, pays me a decent wage, allows me to go home to similar conditions, etc, etc.

Would you seriously trade spots with a medieval peasant if you had a time machine?

93henfan wrote:

expandspanos wrote:
28 days vacation is a lot less than the average medieval peasant.. And you're lucky to have 4 weeks vacation, that's a lot higher than the American average worker.

I know I know. Just providing counterpoint. I'm fortunate to be a fed civy with over 15 years (max leave bracket).

I'm also glad that the time that I do work is in air conditioning, not back-breaking, pays me a decent wage, allows me to go home to similar conditions, etc, etc.

Would you seriously trade spots with a medieval peasant if you had a time machine?

we can only hope

quando omni flunkus moritati

expandspanos wrote:
John Maynard Keynes

You could have stopped right there.

expandspanos wrote:

93henfan wrote:I'm still trying to figure out how to take the four weeks of use or lose leave I have to burn before Dec 31st. Or I could just be a total d-bag and request all 10 weeks I'll have on the books, but I like to carry over the six weeks I'm allowed.

Decisions, decisions.

Should I go to another Georgia Southern game in Statesboro? Maybe catch a game in Missoula for the first time? Drive to Maine to see UD play up there and catch the New England fall foliage? So much time to kill.

28 days vacation is a lot less than the average medieval peasant.. And you're lucky to have 4 weeks vacation, that's a lot higher than the American average worker.

I'm not reading your article but I assume they are taking into account non planting and non harvesting months as "time off?"

expandspanos wrote:Why a medieval peasant got more vacation time than you

Life for the medieval peasant was certainly no picnic. His life was shadowed by fear of famine, disease and bursts of warfare. His diet and personal hygiene left much to be desired. But despite his reputation as a miserable wretch, you might envy him one thing: his vacations.

Plowing and harvesting were backbreaking toil, but the peasant enjoyed anywhere from eight weeks to half the year off. The Church, mindful of how to keep a population from rebelling, enforced frequent mandatory holidays. Weddings, wakes and births might mean a week off quaffing ale to celebrate, and when wandering jugglers or sporting events came to town, the peasant expected time off for entertainment. There were labor-free Sundays, and when the plowing and harvesting seasons were over, the peasant got time to rest, too. In fact, economist Juliet Shor found that during periods of particularly high wages, such as 14th-century England, peasants might put in no more than 150 days a year.

As for the modern American worker? After a year on the job, they gets an average of eight vacation days annually.

It wasn’t supposed to turn out this way: John Maynard Keynes, one of the founders of modern economics, made a famous prediction that by 2030, advanced societies would be wealthy enough that leisure time, rather than work, would characterize national lifestyles. So far, that forecast is not looking good.

Read entire article: blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/08/29/why-a-medieval-peasant-got-more-vacation-time-than-you/

Just as I assumed, time off due to no harvesting or planting. And weddings? wakes? Oh yea, mourning the loss of your father is a great way to spend time off.

Listen, I'd love to see a 3 day weekend. 4 days working and 3 days off is a bit more balanced than what we have today and I'd like to have extra time off. When I started in 2007, I received 2 weeks a year. After Year 2, It went up to about 3 weeks. The more years you put in, the more time you eventually accrue (maxed out at 6 weeks).

You want to know what is a real bitch? In America, there is no paid PATERNITY leave. Sure, my company has a leave sharing program that will donate up to 2 weeks of leave for new fathers, but that is an exception to the rule.

expandspanos wrote:Why a medieval peasant got more vacation time than you

Life for the medieval peasant was certainly no picnic. His life was shadowed by fear of famine, disease and bursts of warfare. His diet and personal hygiene left much to be desired. But despite his reputation as a miserable wretch, you might envy him one thing: his vacations.

Plowing and harvesting were backbreaking toil, but the peasant enjoyed anywhere from eight weeks to half the year off. The Church, mindful of how to keep a population from rebelling, enforced frequent mandatory holidays. Weddings, wakes and births might mean a week off quaffing ale to celebrate, and when wandering jugglers or sporting events came to town, the peasant expected time off for entertainment. There were labor-free Sundays, and when the plowing and harvesting seasons were over, the peasant got time to rest, too. In fact, economist Juliet Shor found that during periods of particularly high wages, such as 14th-century England, peasants might put in no more than 150 days a year.

As for the modern American worker? After a year on the job, they gets an average of eight vacation days annually.

It wasn’t supposed to turn out this way: John Maynard Keynes, one of the founders of modern economics, made a famous prediction that by 2030, advanced societies would be wealthy enough that leisure time, rather than work, would characterize national lifestyles. So far, that forecast is not looking good.

Read entire article: blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/08/29/why-a-medieval-peasant-got-more-vacation-time-than-you/

Furthermore, I do believe that America's culture of work,work,work is unhealthy. I'm not saying the Europeans are a great model, but those people enjoy life. For those of whom have spent some time there, you know what I am referring to. Try to visit a restaurant in a small town in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, etc..around 1400 hrs. Most likely, it'll be closed. SIESTA!!!

Ibanez wrote:

expandspanos wrote:Why a medieval peasant got more vacation time than you

Life for the medieval peasant was certainly no picnic. His life was shadowed by fear of famine, disease and bursts of warfare. His diet and personal hygiene left much to be desired. But despite his reputation as a miserable wretch, you might envy him one thing: his vacations.

Plowing and harvesting were backbreaking toil, but the peasant enjoyed anywhere from eight weeks to half the year off. The Church, mindful of how to keep a population from rebelling, enforced frequent mandatory holidays. Weddings, wakes and births might mean a week off quaffing ale to celebrate, and when wandering jugglers or sporting events came to town, the peasant expected time off for entertainment. There were labor-free Sundays, and when the plowing and harvesting seasons were over, the peasant got time to rest, too. In fact, economist Juliet Shor found that during periods of particularly high wages, such as 14th-century England, peasants might put in no more than 150 days a year.

As for the modern American worker? After a year on the job, they gets an average of eight vacation days annually.

It wasn’t supposed to turn out this way: John Maynard Keynes, one of the founders of modern economics, made a famous prediction that by 2030, advanced societies would be wealthy enough that leisure time, rather than work, would characterize national lifestyles. So far, that forecast is not looking good.

Read entire article: blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/08/29/why-a-medieval-peasant-got-more-vacation-time-than-you/

Just as I assumed, time off due to no harvesting or planting. And weddings? wakes? Oh yea, mourning the loss of your father is a great way to spend time off.

Listen, I'd love to see a 3 day weekend. 4 days working and 3 days off is a bit more balanced than what we have today and I'd like to have extra time off. When I started in 2007, I received 2 weeks a year. After Year 2, It went up to about 3 weeks. The more years you put in, the more time you eventually accrue (maxed out at 6 weeks).

You want to know what is a real bitch? In America, there is no paid PATERNITY leave. Sure, my company has a leave sharing program that will donate up to 2 weeks of leave for new fathers, but that is an exception to the rule.

No shit about the paternity leave. I took a week and had to use 5 of my 15 days off for the year.

Actually, TBH didn't get paid maternity either. We took out AFLAC short term for her. FMLA doesn't mean PTO, it just means your job will be held for you.