Don’t Be Angry at “Lazy” People A Conversation About Laziness “Don’t be angry at the neighbour,” my wife said to me. “He’s doing what feels best to him — he’s being lazy.” “That’s exactly the problem,” I replied. “If everyone only did what they felt like doing, we wouldn’t have anything to live on.” She smiled. “Really? Are you sure?” In my younger years, I was lazy. I can admit that today without polishing it up. I avoided physical work whenever possible. I looked for shortcuts. Work, Dignity and Moral Judgement After the army, I stepped into a different world. In my wife’s family, work was a principle — almost a moral category. Not because of money, but because of dignity. Over time, I accepted that view and began to look sideways at those who didn’t seem to respect it. “Are you sure they’re lazy?” she asked me. “Or are they simply motivated differently?” The Psychology of Motivation Self-Determination Theory suggests that human motivation depends on autonomy, competence and rel...