Friday, November 9, 2012

The 'Busy' Trap (Tim Kreider)

Earlier this year, Tim Kreider wrote an interesting essay which got published in the New York Times: "The 'Busy' Trap". Is indeed necessary that we are always this 'busy'? Is it inevitable and does it even help us to lead a happier life?

Some interesting quotes that set me thinking:
The present hysteria is not a necessary or inevitable condition of life; it’s something we’ve chosen, if only by our acquiescence to it.
More and more people in this country no longer make or do anything tangible; if your job wasn’t performed by a cat or a boa constrictor in a Richard Scarry book I’m not sure I believe it’s necessary. I can’t help but wonder whether all this histrionic exhaustion isn’t a way of covering up the fact that most of what we do doesn’t matter.
What work really matters in life? The classic question is still "Are working to make a living, or do we live to work?". In plenty of interviews, when I present myself to possible future clients, inevitably the question gets raised "who is Wim, what is important to you, what makes you 'tick'?". Again and again I notice that I am willing to take almost any project, as long as it fascinates me, it challenges me and it makes me feel that my efforts are useful and have a result in the end.

Your thoughts?

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...