Full time dictionary

So I just read a statement, "women prefer part-time work."

The statement was part of an argument about how men and women view work in relation to both their families and their identities, not to mention the rest of their lives, arguing that women seek balance while men are more inclined to self-identify by work.

Whatever. I probably buy that but don't really care.

What I find intriguing is the idea of "part-time work." Isn't that sort of beside the point, and tied to an arbitrary or ad hoc idea of, presumably, a 40 hour work week or some other standardization?

Isn't it rather that we all seek the highest reasonable return for our investment, whatever that may be? Ultimately, it seems we have to work to meet a given budget, and we work to increase that budget if we are so inclined and able to do so. The "part-time" construct seems a misnomer. I suppose the statement means, all things equal, men will tend to work more because their view of balance would include more work overall, and that works for me. But then again, I would consider changing diapers to be a form of work even if it's unpaid, and you couldn't pay me enough to engage in many of the activities my women friends probably value.

Perhaps I'll go look up ColumbusGal and offer her my opinions on the topic . . . if you never hear from me again, let my last words be, "Ambrose Bierce!"