Americans value free time over money: survey

      Having enough free time is more important to most Americans than being rich, according to a new poll.

      Only 13 percent of more than 2,400 people questioned in the telephone poll ranked being wealthy as most important to them, while 67 percent ranked free time as their top priority, higher than having a successful career, getting married, and having children.

      "Everyone wants free time to do the things they want to do, young, middle-aged or old," said Richard Morin, of the Pew Social & Demographic Trends Project, which conducted the survey.

      "So our desire to play unites us."

      The poll also showed that people who were university educated valued career success over wealth, as did middle-aged people.

      Not surprisingly, those who didn't have money, ranked wealth very highly. This included minorities, first generation Americans and less educated people.

      The survey also revealed that a disproportionate number of people under the age of 30 and retirees in the group made $20,000 or less a year.

      But the emphasis on wealth lessens with age, with younger people putting value on it but hardly any seniors.

      "It just diminishes with time as the reality sets in that you would never be rich," Morin said. "But also, the reality sets in that you don't have to be rich to lead a very comfortable and fulfilling life."

      While wealth was not at the top of people's list of priorities, 43 percent still said it was somewhat important.

      一项最新民调显示，对于大多数美国人来说，拥有充足的空闲时间比拥有财富更为重要。

      该项电话调查共有2400人参加，仅有13%的人认为金钱对于他们来说最重要，而67%的人最看重空闲时间，他们认为这比事业成功和结婚生子都重要。

      开展该调查的“皮尤社会与人口趋势项目”的理查德•莫林说：“无论青年、中年还是老年人，每个人都希望有空余时间去做自己想做的事情。”

      “所以，对于玩乐的渴望把大家联系到了一起。”

      此外，调查显示，与财富相比，受过高等教育的人更看重事业成功，中年人也持相同看法。

      收入较低的人认为财富很重要，其中包括少数民族，第一代美国人以及受教育水平较低的人，这并不奇怪。

      调查显示，在30岁以下的受访者以及退休人士中，有相当一部分人的年收入不超过2万美元。

      然而，人们对于财富的重视程度随着年龄的增长而逐渐降低，年轻人更看重财富，而老年人对此则不怎么在意。

      莫林说：“当现实让你认识到，你不可能成为有钱人时，你对财富的渴望也就随着时间慢慢淡化了。但现实还会告诉你，生活舒适而充实不一定要很富有。”

      虽然财富并不是人们最看重的东西，但仍有43%的人认为财富还是比较重要的。