How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell.
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October 2019.
How to Do Nothing is an analysis of attention – our most valued currency today. Jenny Odell explores the economics of the attention we give, the attention we get, the attention that doesn’t receive attention, the attention that receives too much attention, and finally, the cost-benefit analysis of diverting your attention from one thing to another. Just kidding about the last part. This isn’t an economics paper. In all seriousness though, you didn’t come here to learn how to do nothing, did you? We’ve heard it all before: Quit social media! Learn to meditate! Limit your time in front of a screen! Do yoga! Go for hikes! Stop and smell the roses! Call your mother! Good vibes only! Though these are all wonderful practices to integrate into daily life, Odell, |
without negating the value of these activities, dives deeper into what it means to listen, to watch, to speak, to walk, and to react. Along with reading this book, I listened to at least five podcast episodes she was a guest on. When asked to describe the philosophy of her book, she often said it was like “going for a walk instead of walking to go somewhere.” Odell utilizes her curiosity by letting it direct her. Curiosity opens doors to new avenues of thought and experience. At times it can feel like curiosity impedes productivity – another significant topic that informed this book. We live in a society where we are expected to constantly produce new products and stories, and… well, realities. Odell also questions the process of maintenance. Why are we quick to neglect that in exchange for something new? Are productive and meaningful interchangeable? Odell’s extremely insightful exploration of this concept concludes that our minds make memories, but so do our bodies. Beginning with our nervous system and extending to our fingertips and toes, we create memories that, when revisited, ignite a visceral sensation in us.
Every generation needs a Jenny Odell or two. With a likeness to Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, and countless others, her discussion doesn’t present any new philosophies. We can, however, accept that Odell is the new messenger of this philosophy. Everyone needs a refresher, a reminder, or a bucket of cold water thrown in their faces to come back to what is real; to what is tangible.
Odell also states that our attention may be the only (re)source we have left. We can choose how we spend it; we can do it with intent, which means we can refuse to spend it, too. We can give ourselves permission to stand apart – stand away at a distance and remove ourselves from a situation – and carefully observe it without abandoning it, coming back when necessary. From her personal art practice to teaching art at Stanford, Odell researches the relationship between technology and the natural world, what it means to live a productive life, to really experience the reality we live in. It’s impossible for me to even consider letting you in on all that Odell discusses in this book. It’s rich with old philosophies that reverberate through to today.
- Zish Chunara, Book Soup Supervisor, Greeting Card Buyer
Every generation needs a Jenny Odell or two. With a likeness to Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, and countless others, her discussion doesn’t present any new philosophies. We can, however, accept that Odell is the new messenger of this philosophy. Everyone needs a refresher, a reminder, or a bucket of cold water thrown in their faces to come back to what is real; to what is tangible.
Odell also states that our attention may be the only (re)source we have left. We can choose how we spend it; we can do it with intent, which means we can refuse to spend it, too. We can give ourselves permission to stand apart – stand away at a distance and remove ourselves from a situation – and carefully observe it without abandoning it, coming back when necessary. From her personal art practice to teaching art at Stanford, Odell researches the relationship between technology and the natural world, what it means to live a productive life, to really experience the reality we live in. It’s impossible for me to even consider letting you in on all that Odell discusses in this book. It’s rich with old philosophies that reverberate through to today.
- Zish Chunara, Book Soup Supervisor, Greeting Card Buyer
