Back in 1855, you relax in the deep seated comfort of your sofa, sipping an aperitif, lost in aesthetic contemplation, as you listen to Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody Number 2, on the piano. The legs, pardon me, limbs of the instrument are discretely covered because men, even the most genteel are still considered ravening animals. The heady aroma of roast mutton wafts out of the kitchen whetting your appetite. You feel inspired - your mind is free, hungry for new discoveries, new ideas that can enrich your life and the lives of your fellows.

Could it be then, that the coming of the post-work economy will be liberating and that spared the drudgery of work, we will be free to explore the final frontier, the capabilities of our own psyches in never ending pursuit of our highest aspirations? We'll see.

The author, a veteran journalist, is currently an editorial adviser to China Daily Hong Kong Edition.

robert.m.ireland@gmail.com