"Idleness is not just a psychological necessity, requisite to the construction of a complete human being; it constitutes as well a kind of political space, a space as necessary to the workings of an actual democracy as, say, a free press. How does it do this? By allowing us time to figure out who we are, and what we believe; by allowing us time to consider what is unjust, and what we might do about it. By giving the inner life (in whose precincts we are most ourselves) its due. Which is precisely what makes idleness dangerous. All manner of things can grow out of that fallow soil. Not for nothing did our mothers grow suspicious when we had 'too much time on our hands'. They knew we might be up to something. And not for nothing did we whisper to each other, when we were up to something, 'Quick, look busy'."
For most people I know, the holiday season signals the relentless onslaught of social commitments - parties, dinners, more parties. But for me, life slows gloriously down. Christmas is a time for family, but mine in this country is tiny. Christmas in India is a very different affair, but here in England there is none of the usual freneticism. Peace and idleness marks my holiday this year. A time to take stock before the New Year. I may use it to catch up on a year's reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment