The reason of idleness and of crime is the deferring of our hopes. Whilst we are waiting we beguile the time with jokes, with sleep, with eating, and with crimes.
From Nominalist and Realist, Essays, Second Series by Ralph Waldo Emerson
I thought about this quote for a while. I could see some truth to it. At current pace, we are encouraged to always be in motion - yet it takes time for certain ideas, plans and hopes to come into being. As we wait - what do we do? Well, certainly social media plays a huge role in our waiting. There is something to be said about how we try to entertain ourselves - or how to make our lives exciting or at least worth posting about - in the meantime.
What about crime? While we wait, do we commit crimes? Idle hands, and all that.
It is an interesting take on why people would commit crimes. He suggests that it is because what a person wants or needs isn't coming fast enough. While waiting for a job, for money, for something that would make a life easier - is it more likely that a person will commit a crime? Is crime just something to do? Is it impatience or necessity?
He also suggests that hope being deferred is a choice.
Instead of acting on or fulfilling hopes, how are you spending your time?
