“Labor in Freedom” of Einstein Vs. “In Praise of Idleness” of Bertrand Russell
There is a quote for everything, but only some of them are worthy to be quoted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said
I hate quotations. Tell me what you know
Knowledge and experiences evolve as we go through this life. Reading is an essential part of gaining knowledge. As you read different subjects and authors, you come across conflicting ideas, but you should not try to find a middle ground and settle down. ▶ Critical thinking is what you need.
Just by strolling through the zoo you don’t become a zoologist, similarly by reading few books you don’t become an expert.
You must start with the beginner’s mind if you want to learn something. Read as much as you can. Don’t ask others what you should be reading, and to that Mark Twain will say
′Classic′ — a book which people praise and don’t read
You should not read books that feeds your current mental program. Creative readers break patterns and don’t get attached to the known. I strongly recommend all classic books for the very reason that Italo Calvino believed
A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say
If two profound statements are conflicting, never judge that one is opposite of another. I know it is painful to entertain two conflicting statements and still remain sane.
Don’t waste your time exploring the paradox of life rather become a paradox. According to Jean-Jacques Rousseau
“I would rather be a man of paradoxes than a man of prejudices.”
Find hidden gems in the writings of great men.
A book is not just to enhance our knowledge rather a book must be an ice axe to break the sea frozen inside us. Franz Kafka had said in those lines.
In books you will find the soul of our ancestry. Magics and mysteries all are preserved there. They are living in us. They speak to us. You may find conflicting truths there but they are all there to make you understand that life is full of paradoxes.
Albert Einstein’s `labor in freedom` might not inspire creative people as it promotes “not to waste free time” but the full quote says something else “Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom”. It is about creating something new.
How you use free time can transform your life. Again, it doesn’t teaches to work hard ( and not work smart along with). Your current mental setup will attract biased understanding.
But the bigger point is how we approach towards the topic. If you look at history — without the leisure class, mankind would never have emerged from barbarism — that was Russell’s most compelling point in his essay “In Praise of Idleness”.
