"Leisure is the handmaiden of the devil"

In this quote, Branch Rickey is suggesting that leisure, or spare time, can result in unfavorable or wicked behavior. The term "handmaiden" suggests that leisure is a servant or assistant to the devil, more highlighting its negative influence. Rickey may be warning versus the threats of excessive idle time and the capacity for people to participate in unethical activities when they have nothing else to do. This quote might likewise be analyzed as a warning against laziness and the value of staying busy and productive. In general, Rickey's words act as a tip to be mindful of how we spend our leisure time and to avoid falling into temptation.