Class
distinctions have been present in every society since the beginning
of time. From the hunter/gatherers to the feudalists, they not only
established an in-group and an out-group, but they also established
a way of life and leisure for each class. Joseph A. Kalj takes this
theory a step further by stating that there are five ideal types
of class, which inevitably affect their leisure: The Upper Class
who live gracefully, Upper Middle Class who are mainly focused on
their career, Lower Middle Class who are respectable, the Working
Class who is barely getting by and the Lower Class who experiences
apathy. Although he cautions the reader not to take these claims
literally he believes that "incomes permit a style of life
and a network of associations that bring them prestige, and they
have a class identification and a set of values that harmoniously
integrate their social lives..." (84). Leisure, according to
Kalj, is not what you do, but how you spend your money because the
way that you spend your money is a direct reflection of who you
are.
Another
theorist who believes that leisure is directly related to social
status is Thorstein Veblem. Veblem believes that the elite social
class is a circle. This circle is exclusive and those within it
are all associated with each other, " living a life in which
leisure becomes purposeful activity; their purpose: to give to others
circles of men a public accounting if their time" (86). Verblem
believes that the leisure of the elite is producing work for the
under classes. Elite members of society go on lavish vacations where
they spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars paying others
to attend to their every need.
Members
of the elite social class function as the experts in the skills
and arts that take place in everyday life. Essentially they "
are the vouchers of a life of leisure" (87). Members of the
elite social class live for leisure because they have few responsibilities
as everything is taken care of by others. 
However
this circle has been broken over the past 50 years due to an increase
in the economy. More and more people are able to partake in activities
usually reserved for the upper class. Although leisure has become
more accessible to members of all classes, the elite are still a
head above the rest. Leisure activities used to consist of fox hunting,
playing polo, going to balls, and attending the theater. Due to
the increase of leisure resources such as community centers, sports
teams and local dances, the leisure of the past that symbolized
luxury has now become the norm.
Whereas
20 years ago a trip to Europe was not typical, today they are being
offered to middle school students. Elites are now faced with finding
leisure that set them above and beyond the rest. Years ago going
fox hunting was an elite form of leisure. Today gun racks and deer
hunting are associated with lower class citizens; there are even
songs and jokes that make fun of them. Attending a baseball game,
which was something that all classes could enjoy has also been socially
stratified with box seating and season tickets. The upper class
was forced to find another means to enjoy themselves without having
to associate with those below them. They separated themselves by
spending more money and time for their leisure activities.
Leisure
has evolved from activities that were reserved for elite classes
into forms that are accessible by those who have less money and
less time. The elite class must therefore constantly search out
new forms of leisure, which means that leisure will continue to
evolve as long as there are social divisions of classes.