Idle
Encyclopedia
Idle is a term which generally refers to a lack of motion
and/or energy
.
, application or message. (See available line
.) Similarly, an engine
of an automobile
may be described as idle when it is running only to sustain its running (not doing any useful work
), this is also called the tickover (see idle
).
, with the assumption that the person is wasting their time by doing nothing of value.
Such a view is reflected in the proverb
"an idle mind is the devil's workshop". Also, the popular phrase "killing time" refers to idleness and can be defined as spending time doing nothing in particular in order that time seems to pass more quickly. These interpretations of idleness are not universal – they are more typically associated with Western cultures. Idleness was considered a disorderly offence
in England punishable as a summary offense.
is one such example from an author who is also known for his magazine, "The Idler
", devoted to promoting its ethos of "idle living". Nobel Laureate Bertrand Russell
's In Praise of Idleness; And other essays is another book that explores the virtues of being idle in the modern society.
Mitchell Stevens has published a small mini-series magazine entitled "How idle are you?" which goes over basic idle concepts. (Source: North Shore Times Advertiser)
Mark Slouka
published his essay, "Quitting the Paint Factory: The Virtues of Idleness" in the November 2004 Harper's Magazine
, hinting at a post-scarcity economy, and linking conscious busy-ness with antidemocratic and fascist tendencies.
Motion (physics)
In physics, motion is a change in position of an object with respect to time. Change in action is the result of an unbalanced force. Motion is typically described in terms of velocity, acceleration, displacement and time . An object's velocity cannot change unless it is acted upon by a force, as...
and/or energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
.
Uses
In describing a person or machine, idle means the act of nothing or no work (for example: "John Smith is an idle person"). This is a person who spends his days doing nothing could be said to be "idly passing his days." (For example: Mary has been idle on her instant messenger account for hours.) A computer processor or communication circuit is described as idle when it is not being used by any programComputer program
A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
, application or message. (See available line
Available line
In voice, video, or data communications, the term available line is a circuit between two points that is ready for service, but is in the idle state. Antonyms include busy line, unavailable, engaged, and out of service.In facsimile transmission, it is the portion of the scan line that can be...
.) Similarly, an engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
of an automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
may be described as idle when it is running only to sustain its running (not doing any useful work
Work (thermodynamics)
In thermodynamics, work performed by a system is the energy transferred to another system that is measured by the external generalized mechanical constraints on the system. As such, thermodynamic work is a generalization of the concept of mechanical work in mechanics. Thermodynamic work encompasses...
), this is also called the tickover (see idle
Idle (engine)
When an engine running on idle or idles, the engine runs without any loads but the engine accessories.Effort has been made to reduce the amount of time engines spend idling, chiefly due to fuel economy and emissions concerns, although some engines can also be damaged if kept idling for extended...
).
Idleness as dependent upon cultural norms
Typically, when one describes a machine as idle, it is an objective statement regarding its current state. However, when used to describe a person, idle typically carries a negative connotationConnotation
A connotation is a commonly understood subjective cultural or emotional association that some word or phrase carries, in addition to the word's or phrase's explicit or literal meaning, which is its denotation....
, with the assumption that the person is wasting their time by doing nothing of value.
Such a view is reflected in the proverb
Proverb
A proverb is a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical. A proverb that describes a basic rule of conduct may also be known as a maxim...
"an idle mind is the devil's workshop". Also, the popular phrase "killing time" refers to idleness and can be defined as spending time doing nothing in particular in order that time seems to pass more quickly. These interpretations of idleness are not universal – they are more typically associated with Western cultures. Idleness was considered a disorderly offence
Disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct is a criminal charge in most jurisdictions in the United States. Typically, disorderly conduct makes it a crime to be drunk in public, to "disturb the peace", or to loiter in certain areas. Many types of unruly conduct may fit the definition of disorderly conduct, as such...
in England punishable as a summary offense.
Books on idleness
The state of being idle is sometimes even celebrated with a few books on the subject of idleness. How to Be Idle by Tom HodgkinsonTom Hodgkinson
Tom Hodgkinson is a British writer and the editor of The Idler, which he established in 1993 with his friend Gavin Pretor-Pinney. His philosophy, in his published books and articles, is of a relaxed approach to life, enjoying it as it comes rather than toiling for an imagined better future...
is one such example from an author who is also known for his magazine, "The Idler
The Idler (1993)
The Idler is a yearly British magazine devoted to its ethos of 'idling'. Founded in 1993 by Tom Hodgkinson and Gavin Pretor-Pinney, the publication's intention is to return dignity to the art of loafing, to make idling into something to aspire towards rather than reject.The magazine combines the...
", devoted to promoting its ethos of "idle living". Nobel Laureate Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, and social critic. At various points in his life he considered himself a liberal, a socialist, and a pacifist, but he also admitted that he had never been any of these things...
's In Praise of Idleness; And other essays is another book that explores the virtues of being idle in the modern society.
Mitchell Stevens has published a small mini-series magazine entitled "How idle are you?" which goes over basic idle concepts. (Source: North Shore Times Advertiser)
Mark Slouka
Mark Slouka
Mark Slouka is an American liberal humanist author and academic. The son of Czech immigrants, he is Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Columbia University and was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowships in 2005....
published his essay, "Quitting the Paint Factory: The Virtues of Idleness" in the November 2004 Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
, hinting at a post-scarcity economy, and linking conscious busy-ness with antidemocratic and fascist tendencies.
See also
- WorkWorkWork may refer to:Human labor:* Employment* House work* Labor , measure of the work done by human beings* Manual labor, physical work done by people* Wage labor, in which a worker sells their labor and an employer buys it...
- LazinessLazinessLaziness is a disinclination to activity or exertion despite having the ability to do so. It is often used as a pejorative; related terms for a person seen to be lazy include couch potato, slacker, and bludger....
- LeisureLeisureLeisure, or free time, is time spent away from business, work, and domestic chores. It is also the periods of time before or after necessary activities such as eating, sleeping and, where it is compulsory, education....
- LoiteringLoiteringLoitering is the act of remaining in a particular public place for a protracted time. Under certain circumstances, it is illegal in various jurisdictions.-Prohibition and history:Loitering may be prohibited by local governments in several countries...
- InertInert-Chemistry:In chemistry, the term inert is used to describe a substance that is not chemically reactive.The noble gases were previously known as inert gases because of their perceived lack of participation in any chemical reactions...
- Work aversionWork aversionWork aversion is the state of being turned off by working or being employed, or the extreme preference of leisure as opposed to work. It can be attributed to laziness, boredom, or burnout, most underachievers suffer from some work aversion.-Causes:Work aversion usually occurs in persons who have...
- Refusal of workRefusal of workRefusal of work is behavior which refuses to adapt to regular employment.As actual behavior, with or without a political or philosophical program, it has been practiced by various subcultures and individuals. Radical political positions have openly advocated refusal of work. From within marxism it...
- The Importance of Being IdleThe Importance of Being IdleThe Importance of Being Idle may refer to:* The Importance of Being Idle , a book by Stephen Robins* "The Importance of Being Idle" , a song by the band Oasis...