> I couldn’t find any record of use of niksen in the Dutch language before the late 2010s.
This feel wrong to me, the concept is definitely older. It just went by nietsen instead of niksen, which is (or was) more grammatically correct/formal as niks is an informal/spoken version of niets.
Here is an example [1] from 2006 with nietsen, defined as to do nothing on a grammar forum. And before 2008 [2] as “not doing anything”. Even a use from 1997 [3].
we have the word in Danish. It is used to express 'No' with a bit of slang-vibes to it. Kinda like 'Nope'.
We also say 'Niks'
I think Niksen is the 'cute' word for Niks. The ending -sen is the familiar -sen from 'son (of)' found in 'Jensen' 'Hansen' 'Larsen' or in swedish 'Hansson' 'Larsson'
Reminds me of my favorite parables - When Alexander meet the sage
‘What is your purpose in life?’
‘I am Alexander and I am out to master the earth.’
‘What do you plan to do after that?’ asked the sadhu probingly.
‘I shall take all the wealth, horses and elephants from the conquered lands to Greece’.
‘Presuming you accomplish your goal, Emperor, what next?’
‘I shall take all the men from these wretched countries as my slaves and all the women to regale us in Greece’.
‘What a motivation! All the men as slaves and women as entertainers!’ commented the sadhu wryly.
Not stopping, he asked him further: ‘Assuming you accomplish even that, what will you do next?’
Contrary to his extrovert and energetic nature, Alexander was quiet for some time. Finally, he stated, with an exhalation: ‘After that, undoubtedly I will sit on my throne and relax’.
‘That’s what I am doing,’ said the ‘unusual Indian sadhu’ with a content smile.
Reminds me of my favorite parable, When Diogense trolled plato:
Diogenes was knee deep in a stream washing vegetables. Coming up to him, Plato said, "My good Diogenes, if you knew how to pay court to kings, you wouldn't have to wash vegetables."
"And," replied Diogenes, "If you knew how to wash vegetables, you wouldn't have to pay court to kings."
Diogenes is a good source for quotes, here is one of him and Alexander:
Alexander went in person to see Diogenes, and he found him lying in the sun. Diogenes raised himself up a little when he saw so many people coming towards him, and fixed his eyes upon Alexander. And when that monarch addressed him with greetings, and asked if he wanted anything, "Yes," said Diogenes, "stand a little out of my sun."
I'm newly retired. My friends ask me if I'm bored yet. My reply is always the same: You never have enough time to do the things you don't need to do.
Things like reading HN, such great articles, most of which I don't need to know, but fascinating none the less. Sometimes someone will not like a reply I made, who cares? (I do love the replies!) I'm not asking for anything, I'm just being.
I retired a few years ago and I'm as busy as ever. It's like a prolonged weekend: there are far more things I'd like to do than time to do them.
The best part, however, is that I can suck at everything. When I had a job I felt a ton of responsibility to meet a high standard in everything I was paid to do, but now I can afford being an absolutely moronic beginner at everything I attempt, because ultimately it doesn't matter. It's liberating.
Thank you for this amazing, inspiring answer. However I need to disagree with the "it doesn't matter" part. Your creations, projects , endeavors whatever they are still do matter, especially as they might come out amazing in the end, because without the constant pressure to perform and adhere to various rules you can feel free to experiment, try unconventional approaches, being liberated like you have said.
I too understand "suck mode". When I was working, a lot of focus was about my job and preparing for the work week. Now I have the time to concentrate on new ideas and projects at a faster pace, some of which get me out of my comfort zone, which I really enjoy. The stress I feel now is because I make it, not my former job.
<It's like a prolonged weekend> I tell my friends it feels like I'm getting away with something!
Due to family circumstances i had to take "retirement" from the industry for the past decade and focus my life on care-giving. So w.r.t. studying Philosophy/Science/Technology/etc. i have been in this mode for a while and it has been quite enjoyable intellectually. Nassim Taleb in one of his books calls himself a "Flaneur"(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fl%C3%A2neur) which i think perfectly embodies this mindset i.e. a intellectual stroller/dilettante interested in anything/everything, cursorily exploring/diving deep into whatever takes his fancy and in general being an observer rather than a participant. The goal (if any) is knowledge for knowledge's sake and not money/job/status/etc.
One suggestion i have for your retirement is to buy lots of books on any/every topic that catches your fancy. Books are cheap, last forever, helpful to the next generation and intellectually rewarding at many levels.
I've recently switched to part-time working 4 days a week, and I'm in the same space as you. I do actually have an extended weekend - because I'm still working - and it's great to be able to do all those things that I don't need to do :)
strong +1 on just being
I’m in bed hearing rain drops on the roof, watching lightning flash across the sky and listening to the rumble of a planet whispering sweet nothings in the vast nowhere.
I like articles like this. Because they taught me, a native Dutchman, that I should take similar articles about cultures I’m not familiar with, with a grain of salt as well.
Anyway, it’s a pity that today it wasn’t sunny while ice skating on my daily commute.
I'm a native Dutch (Flemish) speaker. For me 'Niksen' means you're doing something without intent/purpose and with low importance. You can watch a movie, just because you don't know what to do and you're filling the time, maybe your mind is wandering to other things while watching. Or you can watch a movie because you want to see it, like going to the movies instead of watching at home. Only the former is 'Niksen'.
'Puttering' is an English term which I feel is closely related to 'Niksen' but not exactly the same. With 'Puttering' there's always an action. But with 'Niksen' you can be sitting in a chair, looking around, 'doing nothing'.
I would even argue that meditation is not 'Niksen', because with meditation there's intent. It's actively calming yourself down.
> because with meditation there's intent. It's actively calming yourself down.
This really is the Silicon Valley definition of “meditation”. Not what it’s meant to be.
True meditation seems to fit the definition of “niksen” perfectly. “Calming oneself down” is a side-effect of it, not the primary goal. As Alan Watts said (I paraphrase) - meditation has no purpose. You just do it because you’re grooving with the eternal now.
It's just "hanging around" or so. This kind of article is strange, they take some extremely mundane word and make it seem like it's some mystical foreign concept.
For me it's about clearing my schedule. Completely. Not even chores or hobbies. It helps to start with a walk, something to take you out of the daily grind.
I often end up doing something hobby-like, like reading a book, some gardening, maybe even some woodworking. It's all about creating a moment where you can be in the moment.
The idea is that when something "takes" your mind you just focus on it to the exclusion of everything else i.e. no judgements, past, future etc. When your mind "moves" to the next thing it drops everything (with no residue) and gets "fully filled" with the new thing. This happens instant to instant leading to a state of "enjoyable peacefulness".
To me it is intensionally doing nothing and enjoying it. It can still include something active like walking around a bit, but without much thinking and without a goal. Enjoying whatever you see. Its being in the moment.
I tried retirement and fulltime niksen after I sold my first company when I wasn’t even 30; I got bored after less than a month and started a new company after three. I am 50 now and I really dislike niksen; I have so many things I want to still do that I find doing nothing a stressful waste of my life. Nice it helps others; I find it annoying and it stresses me out. I cannot believe I (or anyone) will be on my deathbed thinking ‘man I wish I did less’.
Readit News
This feel wrong to me, the concept is definitely older. It just went by nietsen instead of niksen, which is (or was) more grammatically correct/formal as niks is an informal/spoken version of niets.
Here is an example [1] from 2006 with nietsen, defined as to do nothing on a grammar forum. And before 2008 [2] as “not doing anything”. Even a use from 1997 [3].
[1] https://www.dutchgrammar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=627 [2] https://www.dutchgrammar.com/en/?n=Verbs.Ot04 [3] https://ronald-giphart.nl/vrouwen-zijn-de-baas/
https://renevanmaarsseveen.nl/14273/niksen-iets-wat-nederlan...
I particularly like this definition. Moments like those I enjoy a lot.
We also say 'Niks'
I think Niksen is the 'cute' word for Niks. The ending -sen is the familiar -sen from 'son (of)' found in 'Jensen' 'Hansen' 'Larsen' or in swedish 'Hansson' 'Larsson'
Niksen is the verbified form, so 'to nothing'.
It has an -en ending like most verbs, unrelated to the -sen ending as in those names.
‘What is your purpose in life?’
‘I am Alexander and I am out to master the earth.’
‘What do you plan to do after that?’ asked the sadhu probingly.
‘I shall take all the wealth, horses and elephants from the conquered lands to Greece’.
‘Presuming you accomplish your goal, Emperor, what next?’
‘I shall take all the men from these wretched countries as my slaves and all the women to regale us in Greece’.
‘What a motivation! All the men as slaves and women as entertainers!’ commented the sadhu wryly.
Not stopping, he asked him further: ‘Assuming you accomplish even that, what will you do next?’
Contrary to his extrovert and energetic nature, Alexander was quiet for some time. Finally, he stated, with an exhalation: ‘After that, undoubtedly I will sit on my throne and relax’.
‘That’s what I am doing,’ said the ‘unusual Indian sadhu’ with a content smile.
Source: https://www.esamskriti.com/e/History/Indian-History/Alexande...
Diogenes was knee deep in a stream washing vegetables. Coming up to him, Plato said, "My good Diogenes, if you knew how to pay court to kings, you wouldn't have to wash vegetables."
"And," replied Diogenes, "If you knew how to wash vegetables, you wouldn't have to pay court to kings."
Alexander went in person to see Diogenes, and he found him lying in the sun. Diogenes raised himself up a little when he saw so many people coming towards him, and fixed his eyes upon Alexander. And when that monarch addressed him with greetings, and asked if he wanted anything, "Yes," said Diogenes, "stand a little out of my sun."
Things like reading HN, such great articles, most of which I don't need to know, but fascinating none the less. Sometimes someone will not like a reply I made, who cares? (I do love the replies!) I'm not asking for anything, I'm just being.
The best part, however, is that I can suck at everything. When I had a job I felt a ton of responsibility to meet a high standard in everything I was paid to do, but now I can afford being an absolutely moronic beginner at everything I attempt, because ultimately it doesn't matter. It's liberating.
Do you think you could’ve learned to not feel that? I feel fine doing an OK job as long as my OK is the standard my employer expects.
<It's like a prolonged weekend> I tell my friends it feels like I'm getting away with something!
Due to family circumstances i had to take "retirement" from the industry for the past decade and focus my life on care-giving. So w.r.t. studying Philosophy/Science/Technology/etc. i have been in this mode for a while and it has been quite enjoyable intellectually. Nassim Taleb in one of his books calls himself a "Flaneur"(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fl%C3%A2neur) which i think perfectly embodies this mindset i.e. a intellectual stroller/dilettante interested in anything/everything, cursorily exploring/diving deep into whatever takes his fancy and in general being an observer rather than a participant. The goal (if any) is knowledge for knowledge's sake and not money/job/status/etc.
One suggestion i have for your retirement is to buy lots of books on any/every topic that catches your fancy. Books are cheap, last forever, helpful to the next generation and intellectually rewarding at many levels.
Snow is pretty rare in Ireland/UK winters, rarer in Ireland. Due to the Gulf Stream and such.
Niks = nothing. Closely related to procrastination but not exactly the same. It actually helps getting/regaining focus and relieving stress.
Anyway, it’s a pity that today it wasn’t sunny while ice skating on my daily commute.
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'Puttering' is an English term which I feel is closely related to 'Niksen' but not exactly the same. With 'Puttering' there's always an action. But with 'Niksen' you can be sitting in a chair, looking around, 'doing nothing'.
I would even argue that meditation is not 'Niksen', because with meditation there's intent. It's actively calming yourself down.
And just like 'Niksen', that too is without deeper intent. You just hang. Closest I can come in English is probably 'idling about'.
You do or don't do stuff. Your brain is meandering about. You don't really care about time passing.
It's definitely an art form, most people get bored after a while - true masters can do days on end ;)
This really is the Silicon Valley definition of “meditation”. Not what it’s meant to be.
True meditation seems to fit the definition of “niksen” perfectly. “Calming oneself down” is a side-effect of it, not the primary goal. As Alan Watts said (I paraphrase) - meditation has no purpose. You just do it because you’re grooving with the eternal now.
I often end up doing something hobby-like, like reading a book, some gardening, maybe even some woodworking. It's all about creating a moment where you can be in the moment.
The idea is that when something "takes" your mind you just focus on it to the exclusion of everything else i.e. no judgements, past, future etc. When your mind "moves" to the next thing it drops everything (with no residue) and gets "fully filled" with the new thing. This happens instant to instant leading to a state of "enjoyable peacefulness".
Disclaimer: did not read the article but am Dutch
Dead Comment