"Modern man has discarded ritual, failed to learn the art of prayer, but found a substitute for both in occupational routine. He severed relations to God, to the cosmos, even to his people, but became engrossed in the search for success. The excitement of success took the place of inspiration. Upon his retirement from labor or business, games and hobbies, the country club or golf take the place of synagogue, ritual, and prayer. This, then, is the fact: hobbies have become a substitute for ritual, not only for work. Should we not clearly distinguish between recreation as a substitution and recreation as a solution? Authentic human existence includes both work and worship, utilization and celebration. We have a right to consume because we have the power to celebrate. The man of our time is losing the power to celebrate; instead of participating in spiritual celebration, he seeks to be amused or entertained. Upon reaching the summit of his years, man discovers that entertainment is no substitute for celebration."
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Actually, today, people live their whole lives in the search for entertainment - until their dying day. Reaching the "summit of years" is usually not a time when people realize the fruitlessness of the endless desire for entertainment.
Our society is built on it.
