I think the short answer to the maintaining of the long work hours even though productivity and progress overtime should be increasing is the fault of the fiat system. The majority of the world that has been corrupted by fiat money, has become a slave to it, and slaves must be kept working, and working, and working. However, this is such an unnatural, and artificially constructed, evolution and progress inhibiting system that ultimately bites everyone in the ass, including those in power and control of the fiat system and it's Cantillionaires. Because in order for humanity to truly progress and evolve, it must be a collaborative group effort, and money and free time are two things that are paramount for this to happen.

In my opinion, free time is still so elusive because 1. the money is broken and 2. as a consequence people don't know how to utilize free time even when they have it. This lack of knowledge and critical thinking in terms of how to properly use money to buy yourself free time and then learning to effectively use this free time to optimize your life is why free time seems to always be elusive. Therefore, I believe it to be critical for one to first learn about money (as all bitcoiners would surely agree), stack some sats (to experience the difference between broken money, fiat, and true money, bitcoin, and how it impacts and influences your life), and as a result of consistent and patient stacking reap and feel the benefits of having free time. Maybe it's better to word it as FREEDOM time instead of free time. As many will equate free time with more of a negative context as in not doing anything or one of complete leisure and fun. Whereas FREEDOM time, in my mind means time you bought yourself in which you can use to upgrade yourself by learning and experiencing all that life has to offer, and then to provide value to the world in whatever unique way you can.

Because time ain't free, Cowboy.