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Tuesday, May 23, 2006 12:00 AM

Great couch potatoes of history

Inspired by his deadbeat son, former wanderer Tom Lutz explores 250 years of horizontal heroes -- from loungers and "nerve cases" to Beats, playboys and slackers.

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  • Monday, May 22, 2006 10:36 PM

    Slackers in History

    It seems incredible to me that in his critique of Lutz choosing the arbitrary date of 1750 as the beginning of slackerdom, that Gary Kamiya failed to mention two of the biggest slackers of all time. By his own definition, these two loafers were too lazy even to write their own words: Jesus and Socrates. (Or maybe he did mention them, and I was too lazy to notice.) Kamiya did mention Buddha. But then, Zen Buddhism requires training and has an anti-slacking discipline to its slacking that disqualifies itself, like a self-reflexive koan. Jesus and Socrates preached a radical slacker ideal, as when Jesus said to trust in God, like the flowers, for our own adornment, or when Socrates taught that idleness was merely wrong thinking.

    Kamiya did make me want to read the book. And for a slacker like me, that's something, although I doubt I will go to the trouble of buying it. Perhaps someone will make a present of it for Christmas. And maybe that same person will read it to me. Anyway, I’m too tired now to wish. Back to the couch and my lover, the TV.

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