by Andrew J. Zintl

Created on: September 05, 2008

Laziness is a passive vice, defined by inaction rather than action. In other words, it can be observed in people only by their reluctance to do something rather than by any positive action. Lazy people tend to have a passive outlook on life as they assume that things will miraculously work out for them with no effort.

Laziness was once considered a serious enough flaw in a person's character to be included in the list of the seven deadly sins under the name of sloth. Today, although it is as much of a problem as ever, laziness is not viewed as negatively as it was in the past. Lazy people manage to slide through life, barely living, but getting by, often with the assistance of more active, industrious people.

A lazy person will put off their duties as long as possible, often leaving many tasks undone or done poorly. Their basic philosophy towards tasks that need to be completed is something along the lines of "Why do today what can be put off until tomorrow?" Someone long experienced in the art of sloth will be a master at appearing busy while accomplishing little.

At work, a lazy person, although annoying and a drain on the time of others, will soon be found out and quickly fired, regardless of their skill at covering their lack of engagement in their daily duties. It is in their personal lives that their habitual laziness is most onerous. The dwelling place of a lazy person will appear chaotic to any visitor. The floors will be obscured by layers of clothing and miscellaneous items. The sink will be filled with dirty dishes, waiting to be cleaned. The only food available in the house will be anything that can be cooked in the microwave. At least, this will be the situation where the slothful person is the solitary inhabitant and the visitor should at least be thankful that no one else has to endure such disgusting scenery.

A relationship will soon be poisoned by the lazy partner's lack of engagement in or concern about either the relationship or life. Their passivity will cause them to show no interest in doing anything, no desire to make even a simple decision like where to go out for dinner, and display minimal affection for their partner. Even the most energetic of partners will soon tire of constantly having to take responsibility for everything in the relationship. The slothful person can drain all that energy from the other partner without batting an eyelid or showing any increase in their own tendency towards activity. Fortunate is the person who escapes the clutches of such an individual quickly.

The truly lazy person will scarcely notice or care if the other person ends the relationship. They might have even viewed the other person as a bother for making efforts to get them to mend their habits or mingle more with society. For a person long gone in slothful habits, even the effort to amend them proves to be too strenuous. Even holding a daily job can become a challenge over time. If you see yourself developing any lazy habits, change them quickly before they change you. Tomorrow might be too late, a lesson every person with a disposition to be lazy should remember.

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