On Doing
Nothing”
On Doing Nothing” is an essay by
J.B.Priestley debating over the idea of work and relaxation. He talks of the
idea of unwinding oneself and the benefits we would enjoy from doing nothing.
He, thus, stresses on the idea of doing nothing and spending time in leisurely
activities which is as necessary and beneficial to human life as work. The life
of man is fraught with work and all of us are involved in that rat race
directly or indirectly. Such a life is necessary and can also make us
prosperous. But it isn’t the be all and the end all of all matters. There, thus
exists a world outside work-the world of leisurely activities and past times.
We are all to spend sometimes consciously in such matters. Nature is beautiful
and it, not only soothes the mind, but also a teacher and a nourisher. Nature
only regains our mental health and achieves a position where we can work better
and more efficiently.
However, the irony is that not many people realize this value. They
spend most of their lives at break-neck speed and pass away without even
looking at nature. The author does not conform to such an idea of life.
However, the author does not instruct us against work. Work is important and
necessary and absolute, no work would only mean laziness couple with
aimlessness. He only wants us to blend our work with the perfect mixture of
rest and pastimes. These things done in moderation only helps us to perform
better. Thus, we should make conscious efforts to enjoy nature and relax. It is
only then, that, our lives become a complete circle.
This is the reason why he enjoys his outing with his artist friend at
Yorkshire Falls. Such communion with nature helps him to retain his sanity
intact. On the other hand, he denounces the likes of Mr. Gordon Selfridge who
curse the waste of time. Such people work only for profit motives and in
reality miss out a considerable portion of life. The tragedy, however, is that
many of us don’t’ even realize the value of past times. This makes the author
suggest instances in our history, who would uphold the author’s notion of life
and its’ value. Thus, William Wordsworth would only be happy to vouch for such
a kind of life. Priestley goes on to say that a devil is usually busiest being
and majority of the world’s fuss is created by overwork and impatience. A break
from the usual, monotonous and humdrum affairs of life only helps us to avoid
such irritation. In short, the author tries to hold before us a way of life and
its’ intrinsic value. There is more to life than just working ceaselessly. Work
and leisure, if blended properly not only helps us to go a long way, but also
in a better and more fruitful way.
Source: http://www.shvoong.com/books/classic-literature/2129755-summary-priestley-doing/#ixzz38AYsZGAm
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