Bibliograph

In praise of wasting time, Alan Lightman ; illustrations by Dola Sun

Type

Label

In praise of wasting time, Alan Lightman ; illustrations by Dola Sun

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

no index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

In praise of wasting time

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

1011680286

Responsibility statement

Alan Lightman ; illustrations by Dola Sun

Summary

In today's frenzied and wired world, we are obsessed with the idea of not "wasting time." But have we lost the silences and solitude so essential to our inner lives? A great deal of evidence suggests the value in wasting time, of letting the mind lie fallow for some periods, of letting minutes and hours go by without scheduled activities or intended tasks, of unplugging from the grid. In this vital investigation of the rush and heave of the modern world, Alan Lightman explores the technological and cultural origins of our time-driven lives. More importantly, he reveals the many values of "wasting time", for replenishing the mind, for creative thought, and for finding and solidifying the inner self. Lightman urges us, as both individuals and as a society, to break free of the idea that not a second is to be wasted and to discover that sometimes the best thing to do is to do nothing at all

Table Of Contents

A village in Cambodia -- The grid -- The rush and the heave -- Play -- The free-grazing mind -- Downtime and replenishment -- Chronos and kairos -- Half mind

Classification