Intimations: Six Essays

by Zadie Smith

What was once necessary appears inessential; what was taken for granted, unappreciated and abused now reveals itself to be central to our existence.

I really hope so!

‘The war has been won by the efforts of all our people, who, with very few exceptions, put the nation first and their private and sectional interests a long way second …. Why should we suppose that we can attain our aims in peace – food, clothing, homes, education, leisure, social security and full employment for all – by putting private interests first?’

Clement Attlee

Watching this manic desire to make or grow or do ‘something’, that now seems to be consuming everybody, I do feel comforted to discover I’m not the only person on this earth who has no idea what life is for, nor what is to be done with all this time aside from filling it.