How to Be Idle
by Tom Hodgkinson · first published 2005
82% recommend18% neutral
Why HN recommends it
A playful, witty loafer's manifesto making the case for idleness and leisure. Recommended to anyone questioning constant productivity and work-ethic norms, and to readers wanting a companion to other writing on idleness.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
As Oscar Wilde said, doing nothing is hard work. The Protestant work ethic has most of us in its thrall, and the idlers of this world have the odds stacked against them. But here, at last, is a book that can help. From Tom Hodgkinson, editor of the Idler, comes HOW TO BE IDLE, an antidote to the work-obsessed culture which puts so many obstacles between ourselves and our dreams. Hodgkinson presents us with a laid-back argument for a new contract between routine and chaos, an argument for experiencing life to the full and living in the moment. Ranging across a host of issues that may affect the
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Anyone looking for more praise of idleness should look into the works of Tom Hodgkinson. How to Be Idle is particularly brilliant.
on “Bertrand Russell: In Praise of Idleness (1932)” ↗I think Hodgkinson in "How to be idle" nailed it. Smoking is one of the few things that changes your status by simply doing it: from being a John Doe you become a smoker. «The smoker simultaneously injects and excuses idleness in his life…
on “On Smoking” ↗If you liked the theme of this essay you will like this book: "How to Be Idle" by Tom Hodgkinson. The book starts similarly and expands the idea of idleness to trying to bring it into your life.
on “Against Productivity” ↗I like "How to Be Idle"/ Tom Hodgkinson "From the founding editor of The Idler, the celebrated magazine about the freedom and fine art of doing nothing, comes not simply a book, but an antidote to our work-obsessed culture.…
on “In Praise of Idleness by Bertrand Russell (1932) [pdf]” ↗…apparently. There is a note of desperation, perhaps nervous disavowal of death, in our society's insistence on always doing, always improving, always producing. I haven't read either of these but I did enjoy "How to be Idle" by Tom Hodgkinson years back: https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Idle-Loafers-Manifesto/dp/0060...
on “Idleness as Flourishing” ↗…Bukowski and just absolutely not giving a f*ck. I always seen him as an absolute slacker and hoped some of that energy will trickle down to me when I was being workaholic. On another note I really liked "How to Be Idle" by Tom Hodgkinson https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/623922.How_to_Be_Idle In case you get some guilt feelings.
on “Fuck Being Productive” ↗"How to Win Friends and Influence People", Dale Carnegie "The Black Swan", Taleb "How To Be Idle: A Loafer's Manifesto", Tom Hodgkinson "The Tao Is Not Silent", Raymond Smullyan In that order.
on “Ask HN: What are the books that changed the perspective of your life?” ↗Read more Bukowski books, who knows maybe slowly you will heal yourself from this addiction. Also a great read How to Be Idle/Tom Hodgkinson
on “Why do we work so hard?” ↗The book "How to Be Idle" by Tom Hodgkinson is an interesting read that has a similar viewpoint
on “Finding the Joy in Feeling Tired” ↗I started with “How to Be Idle” by Hodgkinson about 20 years ago. Found “The importance of living “ by Lin yutang. I now have a small collection of books about idleness… yet here i am working and then throwing myself into working on…
on “The Importance of Being Idle” ↗How To Be Idle and the Idler magazine might tickle your fancy if you like this theme. I enjoyed both greatly. The Protestant worker ethic, work hard and be closer to God, has a lot to answer for, both good and bad.…
on “In Praise of Idleness (1932)” ↗there's a great book in the same vein, How to be Idle. http://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Idle-Manifesto-ebook/dp/B00DB3F...
on “Bertrand Russell: In Praise of Idleness (1932)” ↗…the concept of excellence onto who you already are? I think you could, and maybe one result is something integrative of both aspects of excellence & appreciating the day-to-day, like Tom Hodgkinson's _How to be Idle_, etc. So the exploration and its nuance would probably be worth much more than the checklist itself, just a guess & IMO.
on “Ask HN: I am not a competitive guy, how will it affect my career?” ↗Here's the 5 minute summary: http://www.wikisummaries.org/How_To_Be_Idle
on “Bertrand Russell: In Praise of Idleness (1932)” ↗