Was medieval life better? You might think of the Middle Ages as an era of ignorance, strife and disease. A new nostalgia for medieval lifestyles is turning these stereotypes on their head.
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The right to nap and 120 days work a year
Was medieval life better? You might think of the Middle Ages as an era of ignorance, strife and disease. A new nostalgia for medieval lifestyles is turning these stereotypes on their head.
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When you think of the Middle AgesThe Middle Ages was the period in European history that came between ancient and modern times. It lasted from about 500 to about 1500., you might imagine a series of unpleasant images. Chilly houses with human waste thrown out of windows into the street, a diet of broth and oats, and gruesome waves of illness like the Black DeathA bacterial infection that killed as much as 60% of the population of Europe and 33% of the Middle Eastern population..
But social media has given rise to a new nostalgiaThe feelings of happiness and slight sadness you get when remembering the past. for medieval life. One user wrote that "medieval peasants worked only about 150 days out of the year. You have less free time than a medieval peasantA historical term often used to describe poorer people who worked in farming. ."
On the surface, it is hard to disagree. Modern Brits rack up an average of 260 working days per year.1 One poll found that British people think about quitting their job around 16 times per year.
It speaks to several of the conditions of modern life. Some think that we are too connected, too overworked, too online.
Some think it is crazy to idealiseThink about something as if it is better than reality. the Middle Ages. Waves of the Black Death in the 14th Century wiped out one third of the population of Europe.2 There were brutal conflicts, ghastly killings and spine-chilling torture methods.
Others say it is natural that we should feel nostalgic for a time when work was truly fulfilling. The classic utopianImpossibly perfect. The term comes from an ancient Greek phrase meaning "no-place" invented by Henry VIII's chancellor, Sir Thomas More, in 1516, as the name of an imaginary, ideal island. socialist novel News from Nowhere imagines going back to an agrarianUsing the land for farming. society where work is done not for money, but for enjoyment.
Certainly it is odd to look to the past as a goal. After all, this was supposed to be our future. John Maynard Keynes, one of the founders of modern economics, predicted that we would be wealthy enough by 2030 to work just 15 hours per week.
It makes perfect sense that we would dream of a peaceful, pastoral life in a small village. The modern world is claustrophobicAn extreme fear of confined spaces. , surrounding us with noise, people and buildings. Carrying medieval life lessons into the present age might be the perfect antidote.
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<h5 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper" id="question"><strong>Was medieval life better?</strong></h5>
Yes: Fresh air, living in a close-knit community, eating natural and unprocessed foods and doing honest work with more time to spend with family and friends... To the modern person, it sounds like utopia!
No: A life without internet, modern medicine and fast food would not be for everyone. Not to mention that rates of illiteracyThe inability to read or write. would be so high that you would probably not even be able to read this article!
Or... We should aspire to bring in some principles from our shared past to modern life. There were plenty of things to admire about how people worked and viewed leisure in the medieval period, but it does not mean that we should regress into the past.
Middle Ages - The Middle Ages was the period in European history that came between ancient and modern times. It lasted from about 500 to about 1500.
Black Death - A bacterial infection that killed as much as 60% of the population of Europe and 33% of the Middle Eastern population.
Nostalgia - The feelings of happiness and slight sadness you get when remembering the past.
Peasant - A historical term often used to describe poorer people who worked in farming.
Idealise - Think about something as if it is better than reality.
Utopian - Impossibly perfect. The term comes from an ancient Greek phrase meaning "no-place" invented by Henry VIII's chancellor, Sir Thomas More, in 1516, as the name of an imaginary, ideal island.
Agrarian - Using the land for farming.
Claustrophobic - An extreme fear of confined spaces.
Illiteracy - The inability to read or write.
The right to nap and 120 days work a year
Work hard play hard: Many people today work longer hours than medieval peasants, experts think. Glossary
Middle Ages - The Middle Ages was the period in European history that came between ancient and modern times. It lasted from about 500 to about 1500.
Black Death - A bacterial infection that killed as much as 60% of the population of Europe and 33% of the Middle Eastern population.
Nostalgia - The feelings of happiness and slight sadness you get when remembering the past.
Peasant - A historical term often used to describe poorer people who worked in farming.
Idealise - Think about something as if it is better than reality.
Utopian - Impossibly perfect. The term comes from an ancient Greek phrase meaning "no-place" invented by Henry VIII's chancellor, Sir Thomas More, in 1516, as the name of an imaginary, ideal island.
Agrarian - Using the land for farming.
Claustrophobic - An extreme fear of confined spaces.
Illiteracy - The inability to read or write.