Laziness doesn’t exist
October 1, 2023
NESPA Winner: Bylined column, 2023
The Harbinger, Algonquin Regional High School, Northborough, MA
Laziness is a social construct. This idea would probably make most readers think I’m crazy, however there is a growing movement of people coming to terms with the fact that laziness doesn’t exactly exist. The modern world forces us into a society where we feel the need to constantly work, constantly improving and getting promoted, while putting in little time for ourselves. This needs to change.
The idea of working hard is ingrained in American history, from the inception of this country. This concept is a good thing, as almost everyone has a positive work ethic, however, we end up living to work instead of what should be taking place—working to live.
The majority of Americans work their entire lives, and by the time they start genuinely prioritizing their happiness, they are 65, the most common age for retirement. This is due to a variety of factors, partially by the idea of toxic productivity, but for most it is also the extremely high cost of housing and general living expenses in the United States. Working and earning a living is of course instrumental to living, and with national unemployment rates at 3.4%, almost everyone is working right now.
