[ReadMyMind]

With all the productivity gains from technology, why don't we get more time off? Do we want more stuff or more time?

Why is working 35 hours a week as opposed to 39 seen as a bad thing? I think the mandatory nature of it is irrational, but they must be thinking that it won't happen otherwise. Ideally, we'd all work about 24 hours a week with 12 weeks of total vacation.

[Stultis]

Why is working 35 hours a week as opposed to 39 seen as a bad thing? I think the mandatory nature of it is irrational, but they must be thinking that it won't happen otherwise.

The mandatory nature is the whole point. The individual being being dictated to by the state as to whether more time off, as opposed to larger paychecks or wider employment opportunities, is a "good thing" or a "bad thing" is the whole point. In a free society whether shorter work weeks will "happen otherwise" will be determined by the labor market and the choices and priorities of agents within it.

[Cobra64]

I'm an independent software consultant and I chose this profession because I have the right to decide how many hours a week/month/year that I want to work. I have the choice, not the STATE.

[ECM]

Ideally, we'd all work about 24 hours a week with 12 weeks of total vacation.

Yes, and ideally we'd all love our jobs and there would be peace and prosperity the world over :)