Are we naturally lazy? Can laziness be defined as doing what we are naturally inclined to do? Is it the opposite of discipline? Discipline usually involves doing something we don’t feel like doing, so maybe laziness is the opposite.
And maybe it’s not just us humans, maybe it’s the nature of the universe. After all, the second law of thermodynamics states that entropy always increases.
Even if we’re not naturally lazy, we are obviously intrigued with the concept. Joe Karbo’s The Lazy Man's Way To Riches is one of the most successful mail order ads of all time.
While laziness is often associated with household chores (I don’t feel like mowing the lawn, making the bed, cooking dinner etc.), it can also be considered another reason as to why people don’t get the life insurance they need; it’s just plain easier not to. But of course it doesn’t only apply to life insurance.
Why don’t people enroll in their company-sponsored 401(k) plan, embark on a diet and/or exercise plan to get down to their optimal weight, or stop smoking? Not only is it easier not to, but the results of not doing so are not immediately evident.
And laziness also applies to thinking. Bertrand Russell said “Most people would rather die than think; many do.” Sir Joshua Reynolds said “There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.” And George Bernard Shaw said “Few people think more than two or three times a year; I have made an international reputation for myself by thinking once or twice a week.”
When Shaw said he only thought once or twice a week, I’m reasonably certain that he wasn’t referring to casual thinking, such as what to wear or where to go for dinner. I’m pretty sure he was referring to deep thinking, the kind we need to do when we’re wrestling with a particularly difficult subject, such as religion (or life insurance).
Of course religion doesn’t encourage independent thinking (it’s called belief for a reason) which is understandable. But it seems to me that the number one goal of our educational system should be to turn out graduates well versed in critical thinking skills, but that’s not the case.
So we’re left to figure it out on our own. And figuring it out isn’t easy. It’s much easier to be lazy and flip on the tube. So getting back to the initial question, does that make us naturally lazy? I don’t know, but I do know that if we want to live a full life, we can’t be lazy about the important things. And life insurance is among the important things.