Book
In praise of wasting time / 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 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.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781501154362
- ISBN: 1501154362
- Physical Description: 102 pages : color illustrations ; 19 cm
- Edition: First TED Books hardcover edition.
- Publisher: New York : TED Books, 2018.
- Copyright: ©2018
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 95-102).
- Formatted Contents Note:
- A village in Cambodia -- The grid -- The rush and the heave -- Play -- The free-grazing mind -- Downtime and replenishment -- Chronos and kairos -- Half mind.
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Available copies
- 6 of 7 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Valemount Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 7 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valemount Public Library | anf 153.3 lig (Text) | 35194014277941 | Adult non-fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2018 March #2
The distinguished physicist and novelist grapples with the pervasive network of digital distraction he calls "the Grid" and discusses how we can disengage while salvaging its benefits.Lightman (Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine, 2018, etc.) critiques the negative impact exerted not only by the internet, social media, and smartphones, among other elements of information overload, but the louder, faster, fragmented nature of our time-driven lifestyles. The effects on our young people are particularly worrisome, and it all happened so quickly. The author demonstrates how, for all its useful features, the wired world takes an enormous toll on our psyches. Where is the space for reflection, for processing, for simple downtime, for "free grazing of the imagination" amid all this relentless input? Without that space, writes Lightman, we risk damaging our inner selves. He argues for the need to allow "our minds to wander and roam without particular purpose," stressing the imp ortance of creativity and detailing all that we risk losing by failing to recognize the threat. Perhaps as much as anything, he writes, it is the irony of increasing isolation in a hyperconnected world that should concern us. He frankly admits to being a "user" himself, seduced by some of the same electronic entreaties that afflict the ranks of the addicted. This call to disconnect from a hyperactive, overly structured existence, at least for a mental breather, is not new nor unique to Lightman. But few present their arguments so cogently or more persuasively present the advantages of cultivating a contemplative habit of mind. A sober, companionable writer, the author rarely exaggerates, and his argument rings true: To unplug (now and then) is to prosper. Lightman, who lives less than a mile from Walden Pond, takes a page from Thoreau, convincingly arguing that we must embrace play, solitude, and contemplation to leaven our hyperstimulated lives. Copyright Kirkus 2018 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.