F you live in a city you’re probably surrounded by busy people. Have you noticed how commonplace the excuse “I’m busy” or “I’m crazy busy” has become? As Tim Kreider writes in his collection of essays, We Learn Nothing, busyness is typically a brag disguised as a complaint or a form of existential reassurance. It is a polite way to communicate ( to others and yourself) that you have a well-paying job, that you’re ambitious and driven. Busy people are important because, well, they’re busy.
Are they really that busy? Kreider’s essay reminded me of my friends, but when I finished reading I knew that I was just as guilty. Busyness is a