Idleness is not doing nothing. Idleness is being free to do anything. — Floyd Dell. American editor, critic, and writer (1887–1969) Laziness
There is no human reason why a child should not admire and emulate his teacher's ability to do sums, rather than the village bum's ability to whittle sticks and smoke cigarettes. The reason why the child does not is plain enough - the bum has put himself on an equality with him and the teacher has not.