Tricia Hersey, author of Rest Is Resistance and founder of Nap Ministry is drawing attention to the need for rest in a world that is obsessed with “grind culture.” While animals and babies listen to the cues of their bodies, adults are ignoring their physical and mental needs in the name of work. This is having consequences on public health and reinforcing oppressive systems. Our culture and systems have ingrained the need for us to be productive for as many hours as possible, with rest being of secondary importance. This is by no accident, but rather by intentional systemic efforts to ensure humans behave as machines. Hersey argues every system is involved in this – from schools and jobs to friends and faith organizations. Hersey emphasizes that humans are not on this Earth simply to work as cogs in a machine and argues that rest is not surrendering but rather is a way to take action and resist the systems that enforce capitalism and white supremacy.
Photo Credit: Charlie Watts
