This was a scary, powerful read for me, frequently inducing a feeling not dissimilar to that of walking across a glass ceiling at the top of a very tall building, unsure if you're about to plummet to your death. This was no doubt helped by reading it at a time where I have just dropped down to a four day week to focus on things besides my work.
It is essentially a philosophical argument for having a less "productive" life. This easily feels like the most radical idea I've ever heard. I've spent (& still spend) most of my life trying to "do" things. While I am pretty good at not giving my all to my employer, I instead find other things to work towards: political activism, personal projects etc. This book encourages rejecting even this, and instead following your idiorrhythm and do what it feels like you want to do in that moment, rather than what you feel like you should do.
I recognise the value in the arguments made, but it is hard for me. Even the things I do "just for fun" - like reading - I try to do more of. I feel like I have to finish books and mark my progress with a blog post just so at the end of the year I can look back and see how much I've read.
It got me thinking that perhaps this will be the notation that the generation after mine "gets", and wonders why we don't. Not assessing a life's worth according to its productivity is probably a required step to move beyond ableism. On the flip side, I can't shake off so easily the feeling that doing more is good, because it means I get to do more in my life.
Anyway, a book that gets you asking such fundamental questions in undoubtedly a good read.
It is essentially a philosophical argument for having a less "productive" life. This easily feels like the most radical idea I've ever heard. I've spent (& still spend) most of my life trying to "do" things. While I am pretty good at not giving my all to my employer, I instead find other things to work towards: political activism, personal projects etc. This book encourages rejecting even this, and instead following your idiorrhythm and do what it feels like you want to do in that moment, rather than what you feel like you should do.
I recognise the value in the arguments made, but it is hard for me. Even the things I do "just for fun" - like reading - I try to do more of. I feel like I have to finish books and mark my progress with a blog post just so at the end of the year I can look back and see how much I've read.
It got me thinking that perhaps this will be the notation that the generation after mine "gets", and wonders why we don't. Not assessing a life's worth according to its productivity is probably a required step to move beyond ableism. On the flip side, I can't shake off so easily the feeling that doing more is good, because it means I get to do more in my life.
Anyway, a book that gets you asking such fundamental questions in undoubtedly a good read.
Comments
Post a Comment