French economist's book provides slacker's manifesto

Corinne Maier, a French economist has rerelased her Europen best seller Bonjour Laziness: Why Hard Work Doesn't Pay for an American audience.

For many people, college is the bridge between education and an occupation, which is theoretically the application of learned knowledge into a profession.

At Tech, many students spend four (or five, six, and so on...) years preparing themselves to take on a role in the corporate world, equipping themselves with a solid education and a strong work ethic.

After years of work in college, it only makes sense to work extra hard in the worplace, not to waste the extensive amount of time and effort spent preparing for a job.

Maier, however, has a different view on the importance of a strong work ethic.

Instead, she implores her readers to do as little work as possible, promising a more fulfilling experience in the workplace. In a sense, it is the reverse of anarchism; instead of causing chaos to prompt change and upheaval, Maier prescribes idleness.

Bonjour Laziness was a bestseller in Europe before it was translated from French to English for its American release.

The book examines the nuances of the corporate world and scrutinizes the worthlessness of the workplace.

Maier makes sharp jabs at the world of corporate management, offering up laziness as a way to beat the system.

On the surface, the book reads like any other self-help manual or how-to guide.

Five out of the book's six chapters discuss the problem with corporate management while the final chapter offers the strategy of "active disengagement," an oxymoron in itself.

Upon closer examination, however, Bonjour Laziness is quite entertaining to read.

Maier is exceedingly clever in her deft and extensive criticism of the workplace, employing a sense of sardonic wit that is unmatched by most of today's writers.

Maier makes fun of the absurdities in many of today's managerial roles, such as the incomprehensible business jargon that is indeed used by much of big business today.

Her wittiness is evident in the way she criticizes big business, for instance saying that "only communist regimes have churned out more jargon than modern business."

Most of Maier's discontent stems from the lack of upward mobility in the corporate world.

Although quite humorous at times, Bonjour Laziness is laced with discussions of many serious issues ranging from discrimination to the cutthroat nature of the biz.

In short, Maier believes that it is nearly impossible to ascend the ranks; "If you have nothing to gain by working hard, you don't have much to lose in doing nothing."

The greatest thing about the book is its humorous, yet deliberate in-depth discussion of pertinent issues that are indeed serious problems in the corporate world.

However, Maier's advice is quite cynical and pessimistic.

She asserts that idleness is the best way to deal with the corporate world, but only briefly touches on ways to incite passion and purpose in the things workers do.

Maier criticizes managerial roles as being superfluous and purposeless, but where is the purpose in laziness and doing nothing?

Bonjour Laziness is the slacker's manifesto-it gives a step-by-step method to disengagement from the workplace and a way to fight the system.

Given, it is an entertaining read, but by no means is it a cure-all solution to the problems of the workplace.

Now, if only Maier's technique of "active disengagement" would equate to success at Tech.

Unfortunately for most students, saying bonjour to laziness is like saying au revoir to good grades.