The 4-Hour Work Week - Timothy Ferriss

[Flexter]

How many expats out there were influenced by this book in moving to Argentina?

 

[Ries]

I must admit, I am completely befuddled by the attraction of this.
Who would want to do nothing?

I have been "working" since I was a teenager, doing what I love, which is making things. And I cannot imagine stopping, til the day I die.

The lifestyle this guy describes would bore me to death within ONE 4 hour work week.

This reminds me of a teenagers view of the world, in which one consumes all day, and produces nothing. (I am the proud owner of two teenagers, so its a worldview I am very familiar with)

It is not something that I, as an adult, can relate to in any way. My interactions with the world involve being creative, working, and responding to the needs and desires of OTHER human beings, not smugly finding the maximum comfort zone for myself.

It seems like the ultimate follower of this philosophy would be Jabba the Hut...

 

[Conrado]

Actually it is not about doing nothing at all. It is actually about having the ability to work at something you enjoy while leaving time for you to actually live your life now instead of waiting until you retire from a "traditional job" at age 65.

The title is not to be taken that literally and it is not in any way a "philosophy".

You're totally right, the book's not about not doing anything.

What a coincidence! I'm reading the book right now, and I'm impressed: very thought-provoking. It took me three pages to realize it wasn't advocating what is denounced in the original post of this thread.

 

[Ries]

Well, since I have never had a traditional job, I guess I am not the target audience. I have been self employed since 1978.

 

[deeve007]

Who would want to do nothing?

This reminds me of a teenagers view of the world, in which one consumes all day, and produces nothing. (I am the proud owner of two teenagers, so its a worldview I am very familiar with)

You obviously haven't read the book.

As has been mentioned above, it's got nothing to do with doing "nothing" or "consuming, and everything to do with having more hours to do what you want to do. Which for many people may be creative pursuits such as painting or photography; or travel; or volunteer work; or perhaps a business idea ...etc.

It's actually the exact opposite of "doing nothing" to be honest, since most folk who "do nothing" simply stay in the same safe, boring, unfulfilling job they're in since it's "easy" to do so.

The book's far from perfect, and not all parts of it are necessarily for everyone. But parts of it can actually contribute to most people's happiness with even just small changes and objectives and goals, even if not aiming for a literal "4 hour work week".

 

[Amargo]

While I find his idea and some of the concepts he introduces good, I find the book very poorly written. Morever, somewhere in the middle of the book it became boring as he writes too much about single simple concepts...as if he was required to fill up pages. In the end I felt kind of dissapointed I realised I helped finance HIS 4-hour work week.

 

[MizzMarr]

Although I, too, bought the book (used) and enjoyed parts of it, I disliked the air of dishonesty he perpetrated--such as his "win" at the martial arts championship. Felt a lot of his touted victories were shallow and based on cheats, but I guess it's a dog-eat-dog world. He does have some valid concepts, regardless.