Aimlessness

Our culture values striving, purpose, achievement, and accumulation, but this book encourages us to get sidetracked along the way and praises aimlessness as a source of creativity and an alternative to linear, efficient, instrumentalist thinking and productivity. Aimlessness collects ideas and stories from around the world that value indirection, wandering, getting lost, waiting, meandering, lingering, sitting, laying about, daydreaming, and other ways to be open to possibility, chaos, and multiplicity. It is structured as a recursive, disjunctive spiral of short sections, a collage of narrative, anecdotal, analytic, and lyrical passages, intended to be read aimlessly.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 26 January 2021
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Our culture places a high value on the pursuit of success, purpose, achievement, and accumulation. However, this book encourages us to divert our attention along the way. It extols aimlessness as a source of creativity and an alternative to the relentless pursuit of linear, efficient, and instrumentalist thinking and productivity.

Aimlessness: An Exploration of the Value of Indirection, Wandering, Getting Lost, Waiting, Meandering, Lingering, Sitting, Laying About, Daydreaming, and Other Ways to Be Open to Possibility, Chaos, and Multiplicity collects ideas and stories from diverse corners of the world that celebrate indirection, wandering, and the embrace of ambiguity. Author Tom Lutz views aimlessness as a fundamental human proclivity and a valuable method, often maligned by modern industrial societies but revered by many religious traditions, philosophers, writers, and artists.

The book follows a circular path that winds and branches down sideroads, traversing various realms such as modernist art, nomadic lifestyles, slacker comedies, drug experiences, travel adventures, moments of nirvana, and the depths of oblivion. It is structured as a recursive, disjunctive spiral of short sections, a collage of narrative, anecdotal, analytical, and lyrical passages designed to be read aimlessly, allowing the reader to wind up in unexpected places.

Through his exploration, Lutz challenges the notion that productivity and efficiency are the sole measures of success and fulfillment. He argues that aimlessness can be a catalyst for creativity, allowing us to tap into our inner reserves and explore new perspectives. He also highlights the importance of being open to chaos and ambiguity, as they can lead to breakthroughs and unexpected discoveries.

Aimlessness encourages us to break free from the constraints of linear thinking and embrace the beauty of the unknown. It reminds us that life is a journey, and the destination is less important than the process of getting there. By valuing aimlessness, we can find greater meaning, purpose, and joy in our lives, and create a more vibrant and diverse world.

Weight: 208g
Dimension: 131 x 198 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231199353