[MD] How to be Free

Fri Feb 2 11:09:09 PST 2007

Hi Ant,

I think the positive vaue of the Hodgkinson message is a no brainer
... the world would be a better place if ..... etc. (and as the quotes
indicate, this is continuing an age old theme.) before any us of
needed to "know why Gavin why was so keen on these movements". Anyway,
the problems are pragmatic ...

We can all do our little bit, that's the point of course, and I think
any of us with an ounce of aesthetic and humanity probably already
does.

The problem is always the one of "freeloaders" .... we can debate
exactly what the ideal long-run outcome is, in terms of "down-scaled"
sustainable utopian societies, but in reality, we have to get there
through existing systems of governance (political and economic) and
all the short-term consequences of our choices, and "protect" the
interests such a society from all forms of regression, social or
bio-physical - if we aspire to goals more than a self-sufficient
hippie commune on an isolated (metaphorical) island ?

I'm not the person to deliver a lecture on this, but do you believe
Hodgkinson answers any of this ?

Ian

On 2/1/07, Ant McWatt <antmcwatt at hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> I don't know whether anyone else (other than Dean Summers who contacted me
> about it) checked out BBC Radio 4's series "Books to Change Your Life By" in
> January when ZMM was featured (on Tuesday 2nd) but another useful book in
> the series was "How to be Free" by Tom Hodgkinson (which was the book
> featured on Friday 5th).
>
> Due to the rather intriguing clip I heard of Hodgkinson's book, I bought a
> copy.   The first line reads "This is a book about good living…" which, of
> course, is a good start!  Anyway, the key point is that consumer society
> (especially in the UK and US) has not led to a widening of freedoms but
> entirely the opposite; that the key to a free, higher quality life is to
> stop consuming and to start being creative (wheteher that's painting, making
> your own music or growing your own vegetables).   The situationists and
> permaculture (now I know why Gavin why was so keen on these movements!) are
> drawn on with a good dose of anarchy, medievalism, Romanticism, G.K.
> Chesterton, Ken Kesey, Oscar Wilde, Whitehead and Bertrand Russell.
>
> Hodgkinson's Freedom Manifesto includes:
>
> FIND YOUR GIFT
> CAST OFF YOUR WATCH
> FORGET (CENTRAL) GOVERNMENT
> MAKE MUSIC
> BAKE BREAD
> QUIT MOANING
> STOP CONSUMING
> START PRODUCING
> HAIL THE CHISEL
> GET BACK TO THE LAND
> LIVE FREE OF THE SUPERMARKETS
> EMBRACE BEAUTY
> LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR
> BE CREATIVE
> BE MERRY
> BE FREE!
>
>
> And here are a couple of reviews I found on Amazon (notice the emphasis on
> Quality rather than Quantity in the second one!):
>
> This book beautifully rides the zeitgeist of self-fulfilment.  Tom
> Hodgkinson has written a lovely little book that attempts to help you
> reassess the world we all take for granted. In life we blindly accept the
> 9-5, rules, laws, even the local council telling us that we put the wrong
> rubbish in the bin! Its time to say 'ENOUGH!' This book ask the right
> questions and tries to stop you from blindly stumbling through life. As
> traditional beliefs in religion matures, people want more from the life they
> lead today…  If you have had enough of society telling you what to think,
> and want some original thoughts, then this book is a brilliant buy.
>
> Reviewer: Jenna "Jill" (Ealing, London) - Jan 6th 2007
>
>
> What can I say??!! EVERYONE should read this book. My sister bought it a
> couple of months ago and her enthusiasm encouraged me to buy a copy to see
> what all the fuss was about. Am I ever glad I did!! I cannot praise it
> enough. It is written in adequately sized chapters to enable you to delve in
> randomly for snippets of information. The range of point of view is vast,
> but so well written and inter-woven that I guarantee that everyone will be
> able to find something that speaks to them - you just pick out what you
> need/agree with and apply it to your life. These small changes can alter
> your life in a big way!
>
> Tom covers all sorts of topics but the underlying themes are similar these
> all point toward a simpler life of less work, and more freedom, with a focus
> on quality rather than quantity. To me one of the most important things Tom
> promotes - that everyone should be made aware of - is taking back your own
> freedom of choice in life. We are lulled into a false sense of security that
> we have freedom of choice, yet there are more rules today than there has
> even been. Not just in a legal sense, but also societal rules, not to
> mention the powers of money! These ideals are so realistic and simplistic
> that small efforts make big differences - this is the author of "HOW TO BE
> IDLE" after all.
>
> Check out www.idler.co.uk
>
> Reviewer: Katie Nolton  (York, England) - Jan 5th 2007
>
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Be-Free-Tom-Hodgkinson/dp/0241143217
>
>
> And in reference of "How to be Idle" (Hodgkinson's first book):
>
> This is a great book. At heart it shares the ethos of books like 'In Praise
> Of Slow' that champion a rejection of high pressure high speed modern
> lifestyles in favour of a calmer more contemplative approach. However,
> Hodgkinson's tack is more radical and polemic, suggesting that a lot of the
> things that people naturally do and society labels as idle or lazy are
> exactly the things we should be doing to take life more slowly and
> paradoxically become more alive... The book has made me more determined than
> ever to pursue a freelance lifestyle, working when I want to and devoting
> more time to life affirming pursuits like playing music, reading and
> spending time with friends and family.
>
> By the way, reviews such as 'I only read two chapters then I 'got it' and
> couldn't be bothered with the rest' and 'buy it if you can be arsed' have
> totally missed the point - idle and lazy are not the same thing, the book it
> about reclaiming your right to do what you want. Spending a long time
> savouring a good book to its finish is exactly what the book is about, and I
> recommend you do just that.
>
> Reviewer: N. Canham "whistful skeptic" (Guildford, UK) – Jan 16th 2006
>
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Be-Idle-Tom-Hodgkinson/dp/0141015063/ref=pd_sim_b_2/202-6323147-1698242
>
>
>
> .
>
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