Many people have probably heard about or watched an episode of the "Girls of the Playboy Mansion" reality TV show. Although I will express my views about such shows in another diary entry, I would like to devote this post to this particular programme. Numerous girls might not really fancy the idea of having Hugh Hefner as a boyfriend, but I am very confident that countless individuals watching the show would love to be able to share the several opportunities that the three main stars of the programme have. The mansion itself is impressive and how many people would turn down the opportunity to be able to go abroad quite regularly, indulge in a number of leisure activities, and pursue one's studies while not having to worry about struggling from 8am to, at least, 5pm in order to ensure that the survival expenses are covered?
Hugh Hefner might have struggled to build his business empire, but what have those three girls done to have so many opportunities while millions of other world citizens cannot afford to study because they are working from dawn till dusk to earn enough money to survive? Of course, we have all heard of certain people who have two jobs and then attend evening classes, but even though such efforts are surely remarkable, they are not really recommendable if one is interested in living healthily. If numerous socialists, talk about this matter, it is not because they favour laziness; it is because they value healthy living and a decent quality of life. According to Work Psychology: Understanding Human Behaviour in the Workplace, "The long working hours required by many jobs appear to take a toll on employee health." (Arnold et al., 1998, p. 431). After analysing the work of Sparks and Cooper (1997), the same authors also reported that "It is now commonly recognised that beyond 40 hours a week, time spent working is increasingly unproductive and can create ill health." (Arnold et al., 1998, p. 431).
For those people who are familiar with Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, once your basic needs are covered, it is possible to engage in various activities that go beyond the quest to survive. Spared from worrying about having a decent roof over one's head, sufficient nutrition, presentable clothing, and the other basic things, a person is free to pursue an educational course, go swimming, attend various social activities, and so on.
I have no problem with the girls of the Playboy Mansion as they continue to improve and enjoy their lives in Mr Hefner's company. What bothers me a great deal is the question: when we look at the many opportunities that those girls have, why are such possibilities confined to a relatively small proportion of the world's population? This world is the home of all human beings and I believe that every person should be allowed to enjoy its fruits without having to face numerous obstacles which create injustice and a huge amount of pain. As is the case with those three girls, I believe that every person should be able to wake up in the morning, enjoy the day, and be able to improve oneself without worrying about being able to survive and to live decently from one month to the other. Unfortunately, capitalism does not appear to be interested in achieving this goal for everybody; that is why socialism is necessary!
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