downshifting

(music♪) ♫♫♫ One trend that we've found that is very very interesting is in the mid 90s for the first time when people from the United States were asked ¿would you rather have a pay raise? or ¿would you rather have more free time? People answered, "more free time". That's a very serious indicator that people are looking for a different kind of life, a higher quality of life, That could come through lower comsumption .♫♫♫♫ Downshifting is basically deciding consciously that one is not going to get caught up in the rat race in the drive for ever a higher pay and ever greater consumption it's a concious decision to live more simply the downshifting movement is a wonderful example I think for people who can do that or people who can adopt parts of that philosophy where I can cut my consumption I can perhaps cut on the number of hours I'm working I can get a lower salary because I have in mind a different understanding of what quality of life is It is not about chasing a higher paid job it's not about having more goods It's not about having a bigger house or a newer car It's about the relationships I have with the people around me That's really important and if people discover that they have to work less to be able to achieve those relatiionships that can make a big difference to them. (Subtitles by Marisa's Business English students. EOI Valencia)