Thinking about Idleness
I got aware of the essay by Bertrand Russell, “In praise of Idleness” , some thirty years ago. The title indeed appealed to my conscience, and though I never read it till yesterday, when I watched it on YouTube, I wished that I will one day retire earlier in life than usual, and use my leisure time for gardening and farming. I dream that I think will remain unrealized, at least in this lifetime. But somehow the things unfolded in such a way, that I started the vocation of thinking, almost full time. I never ever got a full time, long tenure employment. So I was never really sure of my future source of income. So, I made it a habit, to save a significant proportion of whatever I earned sporadically. Then I learned the art of investing wisely slowly but steadily. The result, I bought an house, that still gives me some rental income, and I started investing in some real blue chips, I invested in some top notch Indian shares and also in Public Provident Fund. That I think will stand by me in my later years.
So, I think I agree with Russell when he wrote:
“.....what is work? Work is of two kinds: first, altering the position of matter at or near the earth's surface relatively to other such matter; second, telling other people to do so. The first kind is unpleasant and ill paid; the second is pleasant and highly paid. The second kind is capable of indefinite extension: there are not only those who give orders, but those who give advice as to what orders should be given. Usually two opposite kinds of advice are given simultaneously by two organized bodies of men; this is called politics. The skill required for this kind of work is not knowledge of the subjects as to which advice is given, but knowledge of the art of persuasive speaking and writing, i.e. of advertising.”
But when he wrote, in another paragraph:
“One of the commonest things to do with savings is to lend them to some Government. In view of the fact that the bulk of the public expenditure of most civilized Governments consists in payment for past wars or preparation for future wars, the man who lends his money to a Government is in the same position as the bad men in Shakespeare who hire murderers. The net result of the man's economical habits is to increase the armed forces of the State to which he lends his savings. Obviously it would be better if he spent the money, even if he spent it in drink or gambling.”
I really do not agree, because I realize that my circumstances are much different, I do not live in a super powerful state, but in India, where I believe that my investment in Government securities goes towards developing the infrastructure rather than for arms. Similarly I invest in stocks of companies like Infosys Technologies, Tata Steel, ONGC who I trust will not betray my trust.
I rather like to think as in this thought of Mother Teressa:
“As we get older one also learns what one is good at,
and what one is not so good at.
We learn what we are passionate about, and what isn't interesting at all.
Achieving a great love and living a happy life is in no way a cake walk,
no matter what age you are. It still requires hard work.”
I started thinking critically and seriously, ever since I was a graduate student at IITKanpur, credit goes to some of my close friends there. So indeed IIT Kanpur was a university for me, unlike the universities Russell envisioned when he wrote:
“...the universities are supposed to provide, in a more systematic way, what the leisure class provided accidentally and as a by-product. This is a great improvement, but it has certain drawbacks. University life is so different from life in the world at large that men who live in academic milieu tend to be unaware of the preoccupations and problems of ordinary men and women; moreover their ways of expressing themselves are usually such as to rob their opinions of the influence that they ought to have upon the general public. Another disadvantage is that in universities studies are organized, and the man who thinks of some original line of research is likely to be discouraged. Academic institutions, therefore, useful as they are, are not adequate guardians of the interests of civilization in a world where everyone outside their walls is too busy for un-utilitarian pursuits.”
So even though I did not belong to an aristocratic family like Russell, and was brought up in a modest middle class family and inherited no wealth, I think I have used my idleness much much more fruitfully then Russell could envision. But, perhaps he had his limitations of belonging to a different age, a different country, a different economic class. I can think, perhaps as much as he could, even though I live in a very modest house (my study that is also my bedroom is just 3m x 3m) , I have been able to influence the thinking of many young (and also not so young) people all around the world, and I continue to do that, through my essays that are available 24x7 through Internet, without any barriers. I can teach as well as learn what I like. I do not have to struggle every day through heavy traffic and be subservient to the whims and fancies of any boss. Yes, I have limitations, I cannot aspire for several things that I would like to, but then I have learned to limit my aspirations, and lead a prudent lifestyle; all because I can think critically and share with my friends my thoughts and by belongings.
Rakesh Mohan Hallen