November 22, 2009
UTNE READER

Seven Deadly Virtues

(Page 4 of 4)

September/October 1996
Tom Hodgkinson, Utne Reader 
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IDLER'S VIRTUE: IDLENESS

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Endorsed by everyone from Jesus Christ to Mahatma Gandhi, this is the greatest and most holy of the vices. Idleness means having the courage to do what you want to do. Although idlers are opposed to industriousness as a moral precept, they are in fact capable of hard work when the mood strikes. They simply insist on controlling their own time, rather than giving in to the powers that be and becoming their plaything.


I'll leave the last word on the subject of vices and virtues to the ancient Taoist wisdom of Chuang Tzu, who counsels: 'Rest in the position of doing nothing, and things will take care of themselves. Relax your body, spit out your intelligence, forget about principles and things. Cast yourself into the ocean of existence, unshackle your mind, free your spirit.' In other words, the only person who makes the rules is you.

 

Tom Hodgkinson is the editor of The Idler, England's leading anti-work magazine, and a member of the development department at the Manchester Guardian.
His book The Idler's Companion (Fourth Estate), an anthology of lazy literature, was released in October 1997.

Contact information:
119 Farrington Rd
London, EC1R 3ER England
edit: (0171) 404 3095, subscription: (0181) 289 7962, email: idle@idler.demon.co.uk

Part of cover story, September/October 1996.

 

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