#obviously I am. in the war against Puritan culture. and I don't think.

[basementg]

the 40% virgin tumblr user thing is actually really refreshing

[rtennenb]

The Importance of Rest

My friend Car is a constant source of wisdom and knowledge--one of those friends that shapes you in the most profound ways. Lately, she's been sharing with me resources and ideas around rest--in particular, she recommended the "The Nap Ministry" on IG and the book "Laziness Does Not Exist." I got through half of the latter before it was due back at the library and now I'm back on the waitlist so it's gonna be a minute until I get to the end. That being said, both texts argue the critical need for rest. Americans in particular seem susceptible to overwork. Not sure if it's because of capitalism, hustle culture, our puritan work ethic, but we work longer hours with less vacation compared to other western countries (not to mention our shitty education, healthcare, and parental support systems). And we learn to ignore the signs of overwork, to our peril. And to top it off, so many studies show that productivity takes a nosedive after 40 hours.

I don't need much convincing to believe the above, but I still find it hard AF to rebel against. It's hard not to internalize this idea of laziness while you're searching for balance, and it's hard to push back against a narrative that is so dominant. I think about this with Twitter a lot--I'd love to be one of those people who's active on social media and is witty and funny and smart on Twitter, but every time I log on to post something, I get caught in an overwhelming social media wave that leaves me feeling like shit. So I don't tweet. But DO I EXIST IF I AM NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA?! I mean yes, obviously. But it still feels like two narratives are warring inside. How can I learn to slow down and feel good about it? And, obviously, there's a ton of privilege inherent in all of this. I work a white-collar "knowledge worker" job that's currently at home; a job that gives me access to healthcare and other benefits and isn't physically exhausting. Everyone should have access to a living wage from one job, to benefits, to have room between work and life's other responsibilities to do as you please. The U.S. is so infuriating sometimes. A lot of the times.