Engleby on Busy

Michael Engleby says on page 154:

Busy is good, isn't it? Busy means we're hard at it, achieving our ends of 'goals'. Haven't had time to stop, or look around or think. That's considered the sign of a life well lived. Although people complain of it - another year gone, where did that one go? tacitly, they're proud. Otherwise they wouldn't do it: you put your time where your priority is.

Supposed, though, you're not sure that what you're doing is at all worthwhile. Suppose you blundered into it over a spoonful of lime pickle. It's easy, it pays quite well. But really it's a distraction. It stops you thinking about what you ought to be doing.

...

He continues on page 155:

This 'busy' thing isn't a commitment, it's an evasion.

And what are we avoiding? Facing the problem of the one half second. Because if that's really how it is, if that's time, then nothing is worthwhile and nothing makes sense.

Funny isn't it? How we can go about chasing our time tails and calling it doing something with our lives. Is there something else that you would be better off doing, right this moment - this half-second of your life - than what you're doing right now?

Book Information:

Engleby

By: Steven Faulks

ISBN: 978-0099458272