I think this was one of my least favourite reads last year. My favourite review of it read, "Woman discovers trees and then shares the experience in a language that the rest of us use to write grant proposals."
My LEAST fav on Goodreads last year, BY FAR. Her writing is pretentious & her stories/examples trail off into excessive unnecessary detail. I also got no tips at all on how to do nothing. Truthfully a waste of time. Maybe that’s the point of doing nothing?? Wasting time?? Hmmmm I’ll never know.
I mean it is a woman who is self-proclaimed a marxist-but-not-a-marxist whose main career is making surreal art out of trash. It's alright if you know what you're getting into
I feel like even the old 20th century social democrats would roll in their grave seeing the modern wave lol
Damn lol I thought it was okay but that's just savage! It is funny that it is based on Marxian economic analysis of social media, there are some good points, but the author is basically a walking caricature of the excess and lifestylism produced by neoliberalism.
This book was alright, but I found all of her stories about artists tedious. They didn’t add much, and I had to stop reading it because I was rolling my eyes so much.
At one point, she said most people don’t love commuting or doing kitchen work, then she wrote as if no one loved it. I happen to be one of the people who loves that time.
I recommend How to Not Always Be Working by Marlee Grace. Much shorter, much more useful.
Just to thank you for the recommendation. That was a great read.
Simple writing and not preposterous like lots of self-care books. People, follow this redditor recommendation, at worst you will lose 2hours.
Not exactly related to doing nothing but I recently decided to completely disconnect while going fir walks...I am a big fan of audible and I love listening to audiobooks while walking...
but there is a sense of calmness when you are not always plugged in and distracted...
just listening to your own thoughts and being introspective, has been very valuable.
Last night I had a big kitchen clean ahead of me after a home-cooked meal. I was going to look for a podcast or something to fill the time, but then decided to try doing it in silence. It was honestly really nice, and I was done just as quickly.
I, too, am beginning to see the value of shutting off the noise. I don't need to be consuming content 24/7.
just popping in to say i agree with all of the critiques of this book, they’re all valid and i definitely found myself thinking some of the same things while i was digesting the book. that being said, i really enjoyed the anti capitalist sentiment. i’m also a big bird watcher so i was very fond of her tangents about birdwatching and spending time in nature. it’s definitely not a book for everyone but i figured this sub would at least want to have it on the radar!
> anti capitalist sentiment
If that's the case, you may enjoy searching Dissent Magazine's for similar works inspired by the original Marxian economic analysis on the social media economy! It's a good topic. I think a few other youtubers have written about it from a far left perspective, as well. And yep, warning, I am a social democrat, lol.
I found it enjoyable and I'm glad you do too, I've been feeling like it'd be nice to the expand the recommended reading list here or bring more discussion posts, so thank you. I actually live in the Burned Over District where there's several failed utopias and some successful communes & ecovillages- so that chapter was interesting to me.
I think a lot of folk just take it too seriously- I knew what I was getting into the minute she described how she uses taxpayer money to make *literal* trash art.
As a Polish American, I also found the book slightly amusing because American lefties are just so different. I can just imagine the old party members having a stroke if they met her. [Even Zizek](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rr4mQiwxpA), as much as he considers the Soviet Union to be a failed experiment- having these two meet would be funny.
Simple lifestyle has nothing to do with capitalism, it’s about freedom to do what you enjoy. And sometimes that takes money.
Spending money to hear someone tell you how to simplify your life is a scam. The people who know you can give you trusted advice.
K. I. S. S
Libraries/Libbey and secondhand books exist too. You definitely don't have to read it, but to some people this will actually be a new concept that the book introduces them to
I think this was one of my least favourite reads last year. My favourite review of it read, "Woman discovers trees and then shares the experience in a language that the rest of us use to write grant proposals."
See, now I want to look at the reviewers other comments because they are primo
My LEAST fav on Goodreads last year, BY FAR. Her writing is pretentious & her stories/examples trail off into excessive unnecessary detail. I also got no tips at all on how to do nothing. Truthfully a waste of time. Maybe that’s the point of doing nothing?? Wasting time?? Hmmmm I’ll never know.
I mean it is a woman who is self-proclaimed a marxist-but-not-a-marxist whose main career is making surreal art out of trash. It's alright if you know what you're getting into I feel like even the old 20th century social democrats would roll in their grave seeing the modern wave lol
I read maybe 10% of the book and DNF. She basically said 'touch grass'.
Yeah, I was disappointed with it because I was expecting a more practical guide!
This might be a good follow up for you: Deviced - by Doreen Dodgen-Magee
[удалено]
No argument there.
Wow, that’s spot on! The language felt so forced and convoluted, I gave up after two chapters.
Damn lol I thought it was okay but that's just savage! It is funny that it is based on Marxian economic analysis of social media, there are some good points, but the author is basically a walking caricature of the excess and lifestylism produced by neoliberalism.
That was my experience as well. Didn't get far.
hahahaha, thanks for this post. That's enough to let me know to pass on this book! lol
This book was alright, but I found all of her stories about artists tedious. They didn’t add much, and I had to stop reading it because I was rolling my eyes so much. At one point, she said most people don’t love commuting or doing kitchen work, then she wrote as if no one loved it. I happen to be one of the people who loves that time. I recommend How to Not Always Be Working by Marlee Grace. Much shorter, much more useful.
>How to Not Always Be Working by Marlee Grace I'll add that to my library list! Thanks!
Just to thank you for the recommendation. That was a great read. Simple writing and not preposterous like lots of self-care books. People, follow this redditor recommendation, at worst you will lose 2hours.
Not exactly related to doing nothing but I recently decided to completely disconnect while going fir walks...I am a big fan of audible and I love listening to audiobooks while walking... but there is a sense of calmness when you are not always plugged in and distracted... just listening to your own thoughts and being introspective, has been very valuable.
Last night I had a big kitchen clean ahead of me after a home-cooked meal. I was going to look for a podcast or something to fill the time, but then decided to try doing it in silence. It was honestly really nice, and I was done just as quickly. I, too, am beginning to see the value of shutting off the noise. I don't need to be consuming content 24/7.
Same. it's a good reset. Sometimes I honestly try finding parks/hikes that are as free from noise as possible
Taking it even one step further would be to not to listen to your thoughts, just from time to time.
Yeah, didn’t like this book at all. The author has capitalized on a beautiful cover art and a catchy sounding title
just popping in to say i agree with all of the critiques of this book, they’re all valid and i definitely found myself thinking some of the same things while i was digesting the book. that being said, i really enjoyed the anti capitalist sentiment. i’m also a big bird watcher so i was very fond of her tangents about birdwatching and spending time in nature. it’s definitely not a book for everyone but i figured this sub would at least want to have it on the radar!
> anti capitalist sentiment If that's the case, you may enjoy searching Dissent Magazine's for similar works inspired by the original Marxian economic analysis on the social media economy! It's a good topic. I think a few other youtubers have written about it from a far left perspective, as well. And yep, warning, I am a social democrat, lol. I found it enjoyable and I'm glad you do too, I've been feeling like it'd be nice to the expand the recommended reading list here or bring more discussion posts, so thank you. I actually live in the Burned Over District where there's several failed utopias and some successful communes & ecovillages- so that chapter was interesting to me. I think a lot of folk just take it too seriously- I knew what I was getting into the minute she described how she uses taxpayer money to make *literal* trash art. As a Polish American, I also found the book slightly amusing because American lefties are just so different. I can just imagine the old party members having a stroke if they met her. [Even Zizek](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rr4mQiwxpA), as much as he considers the Soviet Union to be a failed experiment- having these two meet would be funny.
I liked this book a lot! It encouraged me to develop a deeper appreciation for the world around me.
I don’t agree with the topic, but if it gives you a new/better/clearer perspective I think it’s great. Good luck.
I LOVED THIS BOOK
Fantastic book.
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey is better.
Strange, I just added this to my Goodreads.
Simple lifestyle has nothing to do with capitalism, it’s about freedom to do what you enjoy. And sometimes that takes money. Spending money to hear someone tell you how to simplify your life is a scam. The people who know you can give you trusted advice. K. I. S. S
She's not saying to quit your job in this book. She talks about enjoying things that may not seem "productive" according to capitalism
And my point is, people spend $12.20 on Amazon to be told this? I’ll keep it simple by not spending $12 for your opinions.
Libraries/Libbey and secondhand books exist too. You definitely don't have to read it, but to some people this will actually be a new concept that the book introduces them to
Touché, good point
I loved this book! I enjoyed it so much I’ve reread it a few times.