And though “slacker” is often considered an insult or an accusation, some
choose to reclaim the term as a sign of creativity and resourcefulness.
According to Webster’s Dictionary, a slacker is “a person who shirks work or obligation.” But lest we allow Webster’s to be the be-all and end-all of the English language, urbandictionary.com has a different definition; “a person who chooses the path of least resistance.” More, “a slacker is someone who, while being intelligent, doesn’t really
feel like doing anything.” And even, “a nice person to chill with.” Slackers, it’s clear, have a knack for inertia and a way with “nothingness.”
…The term then resurfaced in the early ’90s as a way of branding those who willfully
eluded work or school. Slackers became the “loadies” of “Clueless,” the stoners of Harold and Kumar,” and the Jacks of the “Will and Grace” set. While there are several forms of slackerdom, the common ground is a commitment to willfully disregarding societal conventions and living life free of the constraints of consumerism and corporate America.
Sarah Dunn, author of the “Official Slacker Handbook,” notes that, “a lot has been said
about the slacker’s trademark indolence, but the point must be made that deliberately opting out of socially-recognized forms of activity isn’t the same thing as stumbling into inaction.” In other words, Dunn argues, slacking off isn’t just laziness–it’s pointed laziness with a philosophical basis.
These days, some of our most famous thinkers would be considered slackers. After all, Thoreau lived comfortably at Walden while only working six weeks a year and Descartes devised Cartesian geometry while hanging around the streets of Holland.
Revised from information found at: http://vintage.gurl.com/findout/