Work less seems to be the mantra of young Swedes recently interviewed for a major newspaper. The respondents have “chosen to control more over their working hours.” They are so sought after on the job market – working in the IT sector – and earn so well that they can afford to reduce their working hours and get more involved in their hobbies.

The reason why the reporters chose to interview these three likable, self-reflective people – or “unbearable slackers,” for us boomers – is that a new trend can be sensed among youngsters, according to the think tank Kairos Future young people today want to “be” instead of “do.”

When the company asked these youngsters  what they liked to do, 56 percent answered that their most significant interest was “doing nothing.” Just over two decades ago, in 2001, the percentage of nothing-lovers was significantly lower: 30 percent. In 1970 it was 21 percent.

What’s going on? The short answer is hardly “increased spirituality” but increased material standards and IT development.

In 1970, the middle-class “home electronic” entertainment center at its height consisted of black-and-white television, a radio, a gramophone, and a toaster. No wonder few dreamed of working less and doing “nothing.” You couldn’t sit down to have a nice latte, either. There was no latte. And families didn’t travel to Thailand or London for the weekend.

In 2001, the standard of living was higher. The Internet existed but was not the exuberant source of information, entertainment, and communication it is today. Facebook was just a twinkle in Mark Zuckerberg’s eye.

Today, the ordinary person has an entire amusement park in his pocket and lives like a millionaire, from the point of view of the 70s. And when young people answer that they love to “do nothing,” they do not mean a computer- and latte-free nothing, but an extremely entertaining nothing.

And all this, of course, makes going to work less attractive.

Admittedly, the three respondents belong to a minority of particularly sought-after, highly-paid labor. But, according to reports, 10-15 years ago, even most people with highly sought-after skills wanted to work a lot.

A change of attitude, then. And the better the standard, the more people can exchange work for leisure.

It’s a bit worrying. Because hard work has built our prosperity, if life is to continue to be prosperous, people must continue to go to work – even if it’s more fun to be off.

How else is it going to work out?

Maybe there is an excellent way out of the dilemma. Some x-factor or algorithm allows more and more people to devote themselves to “being” instead of “doing” while the welfare spiral continues its upward path.

Or is our time and age reminiscent of the movie Titanic when the spoiled ship owner Bruce Ismay is told that the world’s most modern ship is doomed. Incredulously, he exclaims: “But this ship can’t sink!”

The architect Thomas Andrews replies coldly: “She’s made of iron, sir. I assure you, she can.”