This one is a little late and I am sure ERE gets linked to on other sites often enough that it hardly worth mentioning, but its interesting to navigate the different cultural perspectives regarding eschewing traditional work.
Idler magazine centers around a justification of "laziness" and "non-productiveness" within the context of modern work ethic. The publication has almost an edgy jadedness to it, and is very entertaining to read.
I don't believe that many here on ERE would simply describe themselves as Idlers, though ER is a path to perpetual idleness if one so chooses. From the threads asking what jobs people here have and have had it seems that many are "doers", and see ER as a path to "do something else". I'm a natural idler, I often sit a stare at the ceiling just thinking about nothing in particular and most often hang out with friends with no specific goal or occasion. This is less often having since entered the professional working world a year ago. Idleness really has a momentum all its own, so I have to start tasks spontaneously or else I will get stuck in a state of constant considerations and forget about it altogether. I wonder if this might be an INTJ vs. INTP thing? Is the opportunity to be idle a result of modern abundance and convenience? How many here see ER as a time to simply "do nothing", instead of as a time to "do something else"? Let me clarify that I mean do nothing as in nothing especially productive, since its impossible to simply do nothing.
I also think that "doing nothing" is more closely related to "doing something for its own sake", rather than "doing something for some other reason". The first two do not imply productiveness of any sort. For example if I choose to play chess for its own sake, with the intent to simply enjoy playing against opponents, it does about as much for my financial/carrer/personal situation as does not doing anything at all.
ERE linked in Idler 8/14
I also found ERE via the Idler website. I like Tom Hodgkinson's writing, but I find Jacob's thoughts to be more practical.
The community surrounding ERE also seems of higher intellectual caliber. I think that may have been the reason that the Idler forums got shut down -- most of the discussion seemed to be focused on being lazy and how to cheat the UK's welfare system; sort of missing the point of what Tom H is trying to say.
Anyone here who hasn't yet encountered the Idler, though, you should check their website. (and magazine, if you don't mind dropping mega-bucks on printed material).
The community surrounding ERE also seems of higher intellectual caliber. I think that may have been the reason that the Idler forums got shut down -- most of the discussion seemed to be focused on being lazy and how to cheat the UK's welfare system; sort of missing the point of what Tom H is trying to say.
Anyone here who hasn't yet encountered the Idler, though, you should check their website. (and magazine, if you don't mind dropping mega-bucks on printed material).
Didn't mention in my previous post, because I forgot about it ...If you haven't read the Idler, there's a free sample issue online at
http://www.exacteditions.com/exact/brow ... 3/5406/1/1
http://www.exacteditions.com/exact/brow ... 3/5406/1/1