In contemporary society, a pervasive issue has emerged: the relentless pace of life, particularly evident in the United States. Two decades ago, an alarming incident in an East Coast town highlighted this crisis, as mothers expressed extreme frustration over their children's packed schedules. With multiple extracurricular activities like piano, soccer, ballet, and martial arts, families found themselves constantly rushing, often eating fast food in cars, and returning home late with little time for shared dinners or homework. This anecdote vividly illustrates the so-called fast-paced life most Americans, including children, experience, characterized by constant multitasking—texting, smartphone calls, email checking, social media scrolling, and juggling multiple digital tasks simultaneously. This hyper-activity extends to adults, who often work long hours across multiple jobs, leading to chronic sleep deprivation and an acute sense that there is no time to waste.

Alan Lightman’s book, "In Praise of Wasting Time," offers a profound critique and a potential solution to this modern predicament. Lightman recounts his visit to a Cambodian village where daily chores are performed with a serene disregard for time, and contrasts this with his own childhood in the U.S., where he freely wandered through woods and played by ponds, engaging in what he now identifies as "wasting time." He starkly compares these formative experiences to his current adult life, which is hyper-connected to a digital grid that leaves no room for mental rest. Lightman poses critical questions: "If we are so crushed by our schedules, to-do-lists, and hyper connected media that we no longer have moments to think and reflect on both ourselves and the world, what have we lost? If we cannot sit alone in a quiet room with only our thoughts for ten minutes, what have we lost?" His central argument is that society must reclaim the practice of "wasting time"—unplugging, resting, playing, and allowing the mind to wander. This downtime is essential for deep thought, true rest, and fostering creativity, providing a necessary respite from the constant hustle.

The book's themes resonate deeply with the reviewer, who grew up in a Zambian village in Southern Africa in 1960. The reviewer describes a "timeless life"—a concept known as "Kufwasa" among the Tumbuka people—that was deeply gratifying for the human soul. While British colonialism introduced some societal changes, it largely failed to eradicate this primordial, timeless village lifestyle. The reviewer has since observed the creeping disappearance of this "wasting of time" in Zambia and globally, including in the Third World, which was once a bastion against Western criticisms of unhurried living. Lightman's book also touches upon the historical evolution of attitudes towards time and the intrinsic link between creative human minds, inventions, and periods of seemingly unproductive thought. However, the reviewer expresses perplexity that Lightman's discussion of time in the Third World neglects to mention Africa, a continent rich in diverse cultures and histories concerning time.

Ultimately, "In Praise of Wasting Time" comes highly recommended for anyone seeking to understand the root causes of contemporary stress and its wide-ranging social pathologies. The book suggests that the lack of time for reflection and rest may contribute to psychosomatic illnesses, diminished creativity in all age groups, and elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and suicide. Furthermore, it implicates the modern pace in societal issues such as divorce, dysfunctional families, political conflict, the decline of democracy, the rise of authoritarianism, emotional stress, social alienation, loneliness, attention deficit syndromes, crime, and a general lack of attention towards the poor, low incomes, and unemployment. This 90-page hardcover, published by Simon & Schuster Publishers/TED Books in 2018, offers a timely and crucial perspective on the human need for deliberate idleness in an ever-accelerating world.