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Books

How to Do Nothing

Jenny Odell · Melville House · 2019
How to Do Nothing
Curator’s Note
Jenny Odell makes the case that attention is the most precious resource we have, and the attention economy is strip-mining it. This book is the antidote to the scroll. It’s a manifesto for reclaiming your focus, your time, and your right to simply be present.

This book starts as a critique of the attention economy and becomes something much larger — a philosophy of place, presence, and resistance. Odell argues that “doing nothing” is not laziness; it is a radical refusal to participate in a system designed to extract value from every moment of your life.

The book draws on art, philosophy, ecology, and personal experience to build a case for a different way of living — one that values depth over breadth, presence over productivity, and human connection over digital engagement.

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