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8806 General Paper November 2009
Answers Paper 2 (Application Question)
12) How far do you agree with the authors views on work and leisure? Illustrate your answer/own views by referring to the ways in which you and your
society regard work and leisure.

Gist of Passage
Jameson charted the contribution play makes to shaping our lives, from earliest childhood through to its later incarnation as the sport we play or watch at
School or as adults. He described other ways in which we spend our leisure time, though he impishly suggested that something normally characterised as a
leisure activity shopping could be seen as a form of work. Less controversially, Jameson stressed the need for balance between work and play, but he
then attacked the IT revolution for providing opportunities for leisure which damage both individuals and society as a whole. He ended by expressing the
hope that we would spend our leisure in more productive, artistic and gentle activities. ( General Comments / Examiner Report / November 2009)

Approach to Question
1. Students must address both areas: work and leisure.
2. They must be able to distinguish between the 2 arguments about work and play.
3. The different views about work and play must be analysed.
4. Thereafter, they must show how convinced they are of the various views via
- justifications of views and applicability of views to their own society.


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Sample evaluation of authors views on play and work.


Text Material
Agree with views to a large extent Do not agree with views to a large extent
Para 1
Definition of Play as inactive,
relaxed , random and something we
choose to do when we are not at
work (Para1)

Jamesons definition of play is certainly applicable to all contexts. It
is true that play has to be unstructured and it has to be laid back at
times. This sort of approach to the concept of play is critical for
innovation and creativity. I believe that - Its no exaggeration to
claim that adults or children will be void of imagination and zest
for life if play is absent in their lives.

In Singapore, time and again we hear our leaders talk on the
importance of creativity and the need to reinvent ourselves. We
have hardly had any legendary icons emerging from our nation be
it in - sports , science , maths or any other prominent field. Off
course, we have made commendable progress, but we are still in
search of an Einstein or ....... who can bring the nation to next level
of intellectual excellence. However, we have always been too busy
with our chase for quantifiable achievements. Even play is taken to
be a serious matter that must be associated with outcomes. Our
society must adopt Jamesons definition and allow for all children
and adults to engage in play for plain pleasure.
Jamesons definition of play as a random activity done
at our own free will -is an outdated view. In this ,
current world success is marked by achievements . Man
cannot be laid back and spend much time in pointless
and meaningless activities. All sorts of play must be
associated with good outcomes. The world is moving
fast so there is no time for child play.

In Singapore our children and adults have time for play,
but it is not aimless play that is sedentary or arbitrary.
We do focus on play that gives us good returns. For
many adults fitness is critical and parents spend a large
portion of money on activities and enrichment classes
which develop their childrens physical and mental
strength.

Jamesonss definition of play will certainly not be
applicable to my society as it is highly achievement
oriented. We are a small nation and cannot afford to be
assume that unstructured play will eventually do the
magic trick of producing great thinkers or leaders.
Para 3
organised social form of play
Jameson is of the view that play adds value to our life as it provides
recreation, enhances health, stretches our talents and potential
The increasing rate of obesity in my nation and the
alarming number of deaths occurring from heart related
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continues to be a major feature in
the pastimes of adults, either
actively pursued or enjoyed as
spectacle. (L27)Participants keep
themselves fit, enjoy the
satisfactions of developing particular
skills(28)achieving personal targets
and experience the stimulus of
competition.( L29)
and provides us with the challenges that we need. This is true as
we can see how successful people : world leaders, experts in
various filed balance their lives with some sort of an activity or a
game. Our Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong is an active golf
player. George Bush Senior has flying as his hobby, Barack Obama ,
keeps fit with a regular exercise routine actor Steven Seagull is an
akido exponent, Jay Leno the popular talk show host has a passion
for riding old motorbikes. Hence, Jameson has made logical
deductions about how play benefits individuals be it young
children or adults. This view has contextual relevance to my society
-as in our school curriculum PE and other forms of activities are
compulsory Extra Curricular activities - for children right from a
young age.
diseases do not resonate with Jamesons arguments
that play adds wholesome value to our lives. Many
adults forget play as they grow old and they do not
have the habit or routine of engaging themselves with
regular activities. My society which is an aging nation is
constantly urging older people to engage in suitable
activities. Hence, it is not a blanket rule that play always
brings about positive benefits.
Para 7
There is certainly now an even
more urgent requirement to seek a
healthy balance between work and
play, whether we
This view - of having a good balance between work and play is
most essential for my society. It is important to have a good
balance to maintain health, family ties and the sanity of
individuals. My society has always stressed on efficiency and the
speed of doing things. However, the increasing social problems, i.e.
: juvenile delinquents, divorce rates and health related problems
forced the government to implement the five day work week in
2002. In short Jamesons point of having a balance is very
important to the well being of any society. Progress is important,
work is vital for our existence but it should not be pursued at the
expense of the individual and societys welfare.
Though Jamesons view of work life balance may be one
that should be applauded. Such a balance is no longer
an entitlement but a privilege in a society like mine. My
society positions itself as 24/ 7 nation that works
around the clock. Current technology gives us 24 hrs
accesses to both people and services. Globalisatoon
forces us to work late into the nights with our
counterparts who live at the other side of the globe.
Hence, we do not have control over our own leisure
time. We need to work or we are out of the economic
game. Hence, work life balance- though is a noble view
proposed by Jameson is not totally feasible in a society
like mine.