Laziness Does Not Exist
by Devon Price
This is the type of book that does the hefty, difficult work of reframing a fundamental concept that I don’t think about too much, and does such a deft, nuanced, foundation-blasting good job that I now think about this idea All. The. Time.
Much like Off the Clock, another book that might seem to be about productivity but really taught me to rethink how I look at time, Laziness Does Not Exist is about the pernicious lies and manipulation hidden behind accusations of laziness. Reading it has also revealed the the damaging and destructive methods through which those accusations are deployed.
Dr. Price introduces their concept of The Laziness Lie, which has three parts:
- Your worth is your productivity.
- You cannot trust your own feelings and limits.
- There is always more you could be doing.
Sound familiar?
Sounds a LOT like what I’ve told myself constantly – and the ways in which this book examines the personal undoing of this myth and the social undoing of it in communities around us is downright inspiring.
This excerpt will tell you right away if this is a book for you:
The Laziness Lie is deeply embedded in the very foundation of this country. The value of hard work and the evils of sloth are baked into our national myths and our shared value system. Thanks to the legacies of imperialism and slavery, as well as the ongoing influence that the United States exerts on its trade partners, the Laziness Lie has managed to spread its tendrils into almost every country and culture on the planet.
This is a book with something for everyone: it addresses the historical roots of the Laziness Lie in colonialism and capitalism, then looks at pretty much everything: productivity myths, diet culture, gender and sexuality, activism fatigue, parenting, relationship management, and self-abuse.
So, TL;DR: pick this book up for lessons on how to be kinder, gentler, and more welcoming to your authentic, awesome self and stay for the advice and support on how you can give yourself rest and restoration while also eradicating the shitful legacy that is the Laziness Lie in your immediate community.
p.s. You’re not lazy. Ever.
– SB Sarah
From social psychologist Dr. Devon Price, a fascinating and thorough examination of what they call the “laziness lie”—which falsely tells us we are not working or learning hard enough—filled with practical and accessible advice for overcoming society’s pressure to “do more.”
Extra-curricular activities. Honors classes. 60-hour work weeks. Side hustles.
Like many Americans, Dr. Devon Price believed that productivity was the best way to measure his self-worth. Price was an overachiever from the start, graduating from both college and graduate school early, but that success came at a cost. After Price was diagnosed with a severe case of anemia and heart complications from overexertion, they were forced to examine the darker side of all this productivity.
Laziness Does Not Exist explores the psychological underpinnings of the “laziness lie,” including its origins from the Puritans and how it has continued to proliferate as digital work tools have blurred the boundaries between work and life. Using in-depth research, Price explains that people today do far more work than nearly any other humans in history yet most of us often still feel we are not doing enough.
Dr. Price offers science-based reassurances that productivity does not determine a person’s worth and suggests that the solution to problems of overwork and stress lie in resisting the pressure to do more and instead learn to embrace doing enough. Featuring interviews with researchers, consultants, and experiences from real people drowning in too much work, Laziness Does Not Exist encourages us to let go of guilt and become more attuned to our own limitations and needs and resist the pressure to meet outdated societal expectations.
Nonfiction
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Thanks!
They use they/them pronouns, the description of the book misgenders them at one point.
EGADS. Thank you. That info comes from the book description on retailer sites, but I can amend our internal version. Thank you for the heads up!
A+++++ I LOVED this book so much, it was a nice complement to the FuckIt Diet, ALSO loved that book, it really helps you shake your conditioning that you have to be DOING SOMETHING all the time to have value.