In a medical book I read recently it said that man is not a machine and has to rest after making a strenuous effort. If the author, a medical doctor, had a proper understanding of technology he would have known that even machines cannot go on running forever, but need rest periods just as much as we do. It is not without reason that engineers speak of fatigue and stress in the case of machines. In fact, many railway and aeroplane accidents happen as a result of metal or mechanical fatigue. The molecules lose their strength and resilience when the metals remain in constant use, creating a greater risk of them breaking. So when a lifeless machine or engine is subject to symptoms of fatigue, how much more so is the living human body!

It is possible that a person cannot eat or sleep because he is just too tired. His condition is then one of exhaustion. But what can be called mere tiredness, and where is the border between tiredness and exhaustion? Normal activity is good for the mind and body, but laziness and idleness are harmful.

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