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'What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?' - Leisure, W. H. Davies Introduction A manifesto is often a political document, setting out the key issues which a party promises to address should it be elected to public office. The Idle Foundation is not a political organisation because it does not seek to form a Government. However, it would like to achieve certain outcomes: 1. It wants to create changes in mainstream society with regard to altering working practises and shared assumptions about the nature of work. 2. It is interested in encouraging local and group activism with regard to point 1, above. 3. The Foundation would like to attract support in the form of new members. 4. We want to encourage and promote personal freedom, and to find practical ways to achieve this. 5. We wish to foster creativity in all its forms, both among Foundation members and in society as a whole. The Idle Foundation is a geographically dispersed community of creative individuals, who are looking for ways to challenge commonly held assumptions of mainstream society through non-violent means. This document does not seek to be overly prescriptive, and any ideas or definitions listed here are only intended as suggestions to be taken forward by Idle Foundation members or by other interested parties. It is freely acknowledged that not everyone will agree with the definitions or statements in this manifesto. Definitions of idleness It is necessary to attempt definitions of what is meant by 'idleness' in the context of this manifesto, since the word is open to a wide range of interpretations, but it can mean: - Doing nothing for a period of time.
- Insisting on involvement in creative activities rather than in mundane tasks.
- Permanently 'dropping out' of mainstream society.
- Only doing work which is enjoyable.
- Working part-time, or job sharing.
- Being self employed and working from home.
- Forming 'intentional communities' of individuals with common goals and interests.
- Living in such a way that work is secondary to leisure.
The above definitions are not exhaustive; nor are they intended to be. Creative people will always insist on the right to choose their own paths through life. Indeed, this need for self determination is our fundamental right as civilised human beings, and this is something which can never be prescribed by the diktat of politicians or employers. It is only through individual consent and self knowledge that we can hope to achieve our full potential. Our Beliefs Completely expressing the beliefs and desires of a diverse group of people is something which no manifesto can hope to achieve, though it is possible to describe some of the shared values held by members of the Idle Foundation. It must be stressed that nothing written here is 'set in stone', and this should be thought of as a living document subject to discussion and review. The Idlers' Manifesto is an ideological statement to the world and to individual Foundation members, though in many ways it is easier to describe what we do not stand for rather than to discuss who we are. We are not a cult, we are not 'rich kids' on an ego trip. We are not a religious sect or a debating society. We stand for freedom of expression in all areas of our personal lives and in the wider world. We believe that there is more to life than work, and that individuals should be allowed to grow in their own way without having to mutate into wage slaves, or to be coerced into unfulfilling lifestyles by greedy corporate entities. Some of our members live environmentally sustainable lives, others are anarchists. Yet more believe in democratic systems of government, while other Foundation members choose not to openly discuss politics or beliefs. All these approaches are respected, though it is suggested that apologists for unfettered free markets who hold highly conservative views should not try to engage with us, because our ideas are unlikely to be compatible. The Foundation does not subscribe to particular religious doctrines or secular philosophies. Traditionally, many Western societies are constructed around values associated with the Protestant work ethic. This view equates work with personal suffering, seeing life as a 'lonely struggle'. We should be thankful for our lot - they say - and grateful that we are privileged to live in such a free society. We should kiss the boot which kicks us, and try not to be surprised when we wake up to the fact that we helped to put the owner of that boot in office. Contrary to this, the Idle Foundation wants to encourage a world where people engage in activities they actively enjoy, and we believe that - as far as possible - free individuals should only work for as long as they want to each day. In other words work is built around leisure, and leisure should not be crammed between the vacant spaces of working life as a mere afterthought. All this implies that we should seek to live minimalistically while learning to 'tread lightly on the Earth', as opposed to deliberately engaging in mass consumerism. We recognise that many people are uselessly employed in needless mind-numbing jobs, which the world could well do without if we are to progress socially and intellectually as a global community. Rewarding activities should be the children of our fascination, and creative people will never find fulfilment in tedium. We believe that boredom is a social evil which can erode our sense of self, while gradually destroying our physical and mental well-being. Broadly speaking, our goal is to find sustainable alternatives to this way of life, and to actively promote these to the outside world. Local Activism Because the Idle Foundation is a dispersed community which defines its identity through an on-line Forum, it is likely that local activism will be the primary focus for most of its members. Activities can never be strictly prescribed by the Foundation itself: only suggested and agreed by mutual consent. They can also occur in the form of 'spontaneous arising', which simply means, 'We did it because we felt like it.' This manifesto may be used as a catalyst for creative ideas covering points 1-4 listed above, but it will sometimes be necessary to act together using the Internet as a communication tool. For example, when lobbying certain people or while creating an information artifact such as an electronic document or media file. In this way the boundaries between 'local' and 'group' activism will sometimes become blurred. Group Activism Idle Foundation members will meet for a minimum of once a year to discuss activities designed to advance points 1-4. Meetings will be free form, and should always be held in informal settings where food and drink are readily available. Venues must be conveniently accessible to give people who live in distant places the maximum opportunity to attend. Conclusion We may conclude that the Idle Foundation is a group with a growing membership. We are peaceful and largely apolitical. Rather, our focus is on forming communities of interest to effect social change, while learning to promote idleness in all its forms. We are interested in exploring the practicalities of idleness so that we can demonstrate that it is possible to live sustainable, alternative lifestyles. We are Bohemians and proud of it! Come and join us, there is plenty of room. This document has been deliberately left unfinished to allow for prevarication over a couple of beers.
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