Have you ever wondered why you feel guilty when taking a break? Why do thoughts of inadequacy creep in when you’re not constantly working toward some goal?
The concept of laziness as a moral failure permeates our society in ways you might not realize. In his book Laziness Does Not Exist, Devon Price exposes the dangerous myths about success that drive our unhealthy relationship with productivity.
Discover how these harmful narratives have shaped your beliefs about work, rest, and self-worth.
Spreading Myths About Laziness
Price argues that modern media and popular culture constantly reinforce the myth about success: that accomplishment is everything. In movies and TV, we’re bombarded with tales of leaders and heroes who succeed through relentless hard work and sacrifice, whether in politics, business, or even fiction. The protagonist is always the brave visionary, the lone entrepreneur, or the dauntless fighter who overcomes countless odds through sheer grit. What Price says is missing from these stories is the value of rest, relying on others, and taking time to heal. Also missing from this message is the fact that the success of “great people” nearly always relies on the hard work of others who don’t get rewarded with fame and fortune for their efforts.
(Shortform note: In addition to the omissions Price lists, stories of successful leaders, heroes, and entrepreneurs often downplay the role of luck—not hard work—in their success. In The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel argues that because we underestimate the role chance plays in our lives, we’re taken aback when work alone doesn’t produce the results we desire. For instance, many people try to get rich by imitating other successful people without accounting for the random circumstances that contributed to their wealth. This is where the cultural narrative Price describes breaks down—the more exceptional the story of achievement and success, the more likely it is that luck played a role.)
Given the messaging we’re constantly exposed to, it’s logical that we value work so highly. Price points out that as we grew up, we were taught that success through hard work is all that matters. We watched our parents work to put food on the table, while at school we were graded on our work every day, with successes earning praise and shortcomings marked as failures. We also watched adults blame people who fell short of society’s standards for their own misfortunes. Maybe a friend’s parents struggled with depression, couldn’t cover their bills, or faced some other hardship. Those we looked up to—like our parents and teachers—called these people lazy, implying that we should do anything to avoid that label ourselves.
(Shortform note: As children, we’re vulnerable to this type of negative messaging due to what Robert Cialdini calls “The Social Proof Principle.” In Influence, Caldini explains this as the psychological effect in which we decide what’s correct based on what other people think is correct. Like all cognitive shortcuts, social proof conserves mental energy—we can look to others to model our behavior instead of meticulously analyzing every situation. However, social proof leads to negative outcomes when the behavior and judgment of those we emulate is faulty or clouded by their own exposure to toxic societal beliefs. Thus, social proof can perpetuate the cycle of judgment and shame Price says revolves around people society deems “lazy.”)
