Tom Hodgkinson
Tom Hodgkinson
Tom Hodgkinsonis a British writer, and the editor of The Idler, which he established in 1993 with his friend Gavin Pretor-Pinney. His philosophy, in his published books and articles, is of a relaxed approach to life, enjoying it as it comes rather than toiling for an imagined better future. The Idler was originally a series of essays written by Dr Johnson from 1758 to 1760...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionWriter
holiday order needs
I've never understood activity holidays since we seem to have far too much activity in our daily lives as it is. Find a culture where loafing is the order of the day and where they don't understand our need to be constantly doing things. Find somewhere you can have a hammock holiday.
idle efficient
Paradoxically, to be truly idle, you also have to be efficient.
weed inspiration rainbow
When you go for a walk, take seeds with you, poppies, rainbow chard, rocket. Plant them among the weeds in patches of wasteland. See what happens.
becoming life-is staring
Life is becoming no more than staring at the screen.
people needs be-good
Being good to people is the only insurance policy you need.
numbers lines obsessed
We have become so obsessed by numbers and by bottom lines that beauty and truth has been knocked aside.
sleep naps tough-times
When the going gets tough, the tough take a nap.
nice writing mean
I like the idea of becoming [fairly] good at lots of things rather than very good at just one thing. So it would be nice to be okay at the guitar or at the piano, a reasonable cook, perhaps able to fix your car or do some basic carpentry, and be able to write the odd article. Rather than being super good at one tiny thing, to be kind of average at lots of things. It might mean that you have a more kind of enjoyable, complete life.
attitude boss unemployment
What is required as we travel towards full unemployment is not new legislation but a gradual change of mental attitude, a shift in values. As our taste for idling grows, we will refuse to work for old-fashioned bosses who demand a five-day, 40-hour, nine-to-five type week, or worse.
country hard-work innovation
What seems extraordinary is that the richest countries in the world, in terms of economic output, are the ones where we work hardest. You would have thought that the end of all this innovation, technological advancement, and financial wizardry should be to create less work, not more of it.
boredom pleasure situation
Idleness allows you to turn a situation from boredom to pleasure.
creative lazy hey
I suddenly realised, hey, I'm not a lazy idiot, I'm an idler! It's something to aspire to, it's part of the creative process! That's fantastic!
airports checks humiliation
I seethe at the humiliation of airport security checks.
doe citizens busy
Faffing, of course, does not fit the programme. We are supposed to be busy, productive citizens.