How to be Free [Hardcover]

Do you feel that we live in an overly regimented, joyless, conformist, colourless, soulless and work-obsessed society? Do you yearn for a more spontaneous, exciting, and creative life? If you do then this very well may be the book for you! It is another polemic from the patron saint of idlers, the one and only Mr Tom Hodgkinson, who wrote the wonderful `How to be Idle'.

The central premise is that of Jean Paul Sartre's existential philosophy - we live in an absurd, meaningless universe, but we are free to create our own lives and our own meaning. It is our own "mind forged manacles" that condemn us to lives of robotic tedium and wage slavery. Hodgkinson examines the different factors that inhibit our freedom and looks at alternative ways of thinking and living. The underlying political message is essentially that of anarchism. He believes that we should take far more responsibility for our own lives, create mutual support mechanisms, be a lot less materialistic, resist consumerism, and grow our own food. He attacks the current obsession with owning property, making the case that we are in thrall to the banks who really own our homes. He also attacks the soul crushing tedium that most paid employment involves, and the way in which it devours our time on this earth.

He quotes the great critics of industrialised society, John Ruskin and William Morris, who deplored their society's denigration of individual creativity and beauty. Hodgkinson explores the idea that the Middle Ages actually offered comparatively more freedom and fun than the modern, hi-tech society offers today. There were far more holidays and festivals, and peasants did not have to work as hard for their feudal masters as today's wage-slave has to do for the omnipotent multi-national corporations. He makes a very compelling argument, but as with most polemics little space is given to counter-arguments. He downplays the less attractive aspects of this period, such as low-life expectancy, almost non-existent medical provision and horrendous diseases. He also suggests that the general influence of Protestantism has been less benign than that of Roman Catholicism. His argument is that the former has created money orientated, self-righteous, power mad zealots, whereas the latter might have been corrupt, but it was more humane. It is an interesting argument, but again it involves over-simplifications, and Protestantism was initially more anti-authoritarian and helped to foster a spirit of inquiry, which in turn resulted in the growth of the scientific method.

Probably the best way to approach this book, and its predecessor, `How to be Idle', is as stimuli for thought and discussion. I don't always agree with Tom, and there are times when `How to be Free' feels just like a get-back-to-the-land rant. The one big misgiving I have with both books is that occasionally Tom extols the virtues of rioting and expresses admiration for criminality, neither of which I feel tie in with a philosophy of mutual aid and creativity. However, it is impossible not to be won over by the charm and grace of his work. His message is life-affirming and humane, and although I am not sure I could personally adopt all of his recommendations, the underlying spirit is one that I thoroughly endorse. D.H. Lawrence once said that he "did not want life to be a paltry thing", and neither does Tom. He wants all of us to embrace freedom, creativity, risk and joy, so that our lives are as rich as they could possibly be.

Considering Tom Hodgkinson is editor of the Idler and places being idle as a life aim he's not exactly workshy when it comes to research for this book. All around us we see stressed out workers competing for the best parking space, snatching at every opportunity and consuming with a vigour that would put most drug addicts to shame - Hodgkinson, with a broad sword that takes in medieval merrymaking and our 21st century tax burden (higher now than in fuedal times according to the author) puts forward an almost unarguable point that we all need to slow down, consume less, laugh more and stop striving for the next big thing. As most people deep down know this to be true it took "How to Be Free" for me to finally stop and, like being gently slapped in the face with the fish of happiness and quit rushing around like an idiot. It's rare for books to actually stop you in your tracks (The Corporation - Bakan, Stupid White Men - Moore, The Culture of Fear - Glassner, How Mumbo Jumbo Conquered the World - Wheen) but I was the road rage, drag the dog around the park, five meetings a day, make more money screaming bundle of stress that somehow defines modern man. How to Be Free points to an alternative way of life that drags the absurdity of this modern capitalist lifestyle out into the bright sunshine and stabs it repeatedly with his observations, facts and comparisons. Buy this book or alternatively, on Tom Hodgkinsons advice, buy a ukulele .. or was it a banjo. Buy two, one for yourself and one for someone you know who screams at cyclists.

I found this book by chance, really - I needed a third book for a '3 for 2' offer in the bookshop, and it had a particularly attractive title. At first I thought that it would just be another of those useless books that claims to be able to 'change your life for the better,' or that he was another author attempting to make a quick buck from a lot of worthless twaddle. But once I'd started reading it, I realised how wrong I was.

Tom Hodgkinson essentially looks at modern society - decides it's all utter nonsense - and then presents you with a laid-back, enjoyable and free way to live life. He rants and raves about how rubbish the world is nowadays, his train of thought twisting and dancing as you turn the pages; but it's all true - and it really is enlightening.

While I don't argue that it's possible for everyone to follow his instructions for life (how would society achieve advancements in science, medicine, the arts etc if we all relaxed and tended our allotments?) I seriously recommend you read it, as it offers - at the very least - a new and freer way of looking at life.