Have We Gotten Lazy as a Society?

[Mai72]

I think it's inevitable. As a country finds success and becomes as big as America, generations aren't going to want to work as hard as previous generations. My dad worked 60 plus hours for many years. And, my grandfather did the same and so on. I don't know about you guys, but it just seems that there are a lot of people today who have little money in their bank account, yet all the time in the world to watch Netflix, play video games, etc. I have coworkers who bitch about pay yet they spend much of their time in leisure. There is nothing wrong with leisure, but I've always wanted it to be earned. It just means that if I work hard, then I can have some leisure time. Not the other way around.

This older article caught my attention. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...expense/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b4a8d6fe1480

It's been discussed on here before. But, how can you not afford a $400 emergency? That just seems crazy. Especially in a country as wealthy as America. I've worked 2 jobs for much of my life. Even when I went back to college, I worked 32-40 hours a week. I would often go to classes with little sleep since I worked the graveyard shift. You do whatever you need so you can reach your goal. For me, that was to complete school. Today, it just seems like many want an easy path.

“A nation is born stocic, and dies epicurean."
`Will Durant

 

[Ottonomous]

bookmarked this thread for a future reply

 

[Muse]

...yet all the time in the world to watch Netflix, play video games, etc. I have coworkers who bitch about pay yet they spend much of their time in leisure.

Don't know about you but I have never watched Netflix in my life and I haven't played a video game in 10+ years and never did much of it before then. I have a need for some distraction sometimes, something to take me out of my space and into another, it's mentally refreshing and therefore good for my overall well being. I will work out at the gym today, maybe go to the range and hit some balls. Maybe even watch a movie (been telling this to myself for over a week). I am not working but my house is so goddamn run down I have to spend a lot of my time trying to remedy that. People who live in apartments that are taken care of by the management, well, life seems easier for them, from my perspective. They just have to come up with the rent... of course, that can be difficult -- I've done a lot of that. It's different.

 

[IronWing]

Yet Americans' work hours keep going up. It's almost like the fruits of their labor is being siphoned off at the top.

 

[snoopy7548]

Yeah, we're really lazy. We expect everything to be instantaneous and automatic, and screw the future. We don't cook because there's fast food, we don't pay attention while driving because we have "safety" sensors, we buy everything because we need to have it in order to fit in, we cannot drive a car that is more than three years old, etc.

There's no excuse to not being able to afford a $400 emergency if you have a full-time job, maybe even part-time. That's "sacrificing" $7.70/week for one year, yet everyone needs to have an $80 unlimited phone plan for their fancy $700 smart phone and eat every meal out.

 

[Muse]

And you say "society." I think of Dylan's quote, "society is just trying to fuck you up." I do nothing in an attempt to be a member of society, i.e. to be conformist.

 

[Muse]

Yeah, we're really lazy. We expect everything to be instantaneous and automatic, and screw the future. We don't cook because there's fast food, we don't pay attention while driving because we have "safety" sensors, we buy everything because we need to have it in order to fit in, we cannot drive a car that is more than three years old, etc.

There's no excuse to not being able to afford a $400 emergency if you have a full-time job, maybe even part-time. That's "sacrificing" $7.70/week for one year, yet everyone needs to have an $80 unlimited phone plan for their fancy $700 smart phone and eat every meal out.

I can't relate to this stuff. I cook, I've been able to cook ever since fleeing the parental coop, even before because my mom didn't like to cook (but did, but if I wanted food I really liked alot of the time I had to prepare it myself). I don't have safety sensors in my car so I PAY ATTENTION! My car is over 20 years old and I have no need of another right now. But TBH I hope my next car will let me take a nap while it takes me to my destinations. A $400 emergency... no problemo. I don't have an unlimited phone plan (talking about my smartphone), but I always have a huge excess I don't use on my $10/month plan. I've never paid more than $100 for a phone. I haven't eaten out for about 2 months. The person you're talking about seems to me about the opposite of me

 

[Muse]

Yet Americans' work hours keep going up. It's almost like the fruits of their labor is being siphoned off at the top.

... and into the pockets of the corporate moguls.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Did your dad actually get paid for working 60 hours? Or did he get paid for working 40?

Regardless, i dont think thr average family is getting more lazy. Maybe for people without kids that can actually go home and afford the luxury of binge watching season shows on tv

At my job ive been putting in 10-12 hour days the last 2 months and the manager is complaining that im not doing enough. Coincidentally, the manager is leaving every day at 4:30. I practically never see my kid since im always traveling and working nights. Im going to thoroughly enjoy giving them a 1 day notice right after the holidays.

 

[Greenman]

Lazy and helpless. I'm constantly astonished at how many people call me about simple problems or repairs that are elementary. I have clients that can't crack the code on a tripped breaker. Turning of the water to a faucet or toilet requires a plumber. They won't even contemplate mowing their lawns or cleaning their homes. What they all have in common is that they do one thing, and only the one thing they're trained for. It's as if they never noticed the rest of the world.

 

[Mai72]

Did your dad actually get paid for working 60 hours? Or did he get paid for working 40?

Regardless, i dont think thr average family is getting more lazy. Maybe for people without kids that can actually go home and afford the luxury of binge watching season shows on tv

I got paid for working 60 hours. My father was a business owner plus being a general contractor with the state for many years. He also delivered funiture when he was in his 20s and 30s. He also wasn't educated so his work was low skilled. There is nothing wrong with that. It's just reality. When I say that people are lazy, I'm talking about my experiences with people whom I've met over the years. I know there are a lot of people who work damn hard. They work much harder than me that's for sure.

 

[Jon-T]

Drove by a McDonalds today. The sign out front said "Delivery by uber eats!". Same thing at my local taco bell.

Paying someone to pick up fast food for you?

 

[Muse]

Lazy and helpless. I'm constantly astonished at how many people call me about simple problems or repairs that are elementary. I have clients that can't crack the code on a tripped breaker. Turning of the water to a faucet or toilet requires a plumber. They won't even contemplate mowing their lawns or cleaning their homes. What they all have in common is that they do one thing, and only the one thing they're trained for. It's as if they never noticed the rest of the world.

I was never trained to do that one thing... i.e. that thing that was my meal ticket. So, I did for myself. Yeah, I am pretty handy, have a lot of tools, but it takes me longer to do stuff right than a pro. By the time I get it done, it's usually done well. But next time I need to do it may be years away and by that time I often have only a fuzzy idea of how it gets done right and I have to figure it out again. I keep data, that helps a lot pretty often, but a lot of times I don't enter the data I'll need later. "The computer is an extension of the mind." That's my computer because I know how to manage data, it was the career I finally got going. I got into computers for precisely the reason that I realized that most people don't have the patience to master them. I figured I could develop the power to do that and get paid, certainly better paid than I was used to. One of the best decisions I ever made, but it was a ton of work and I still work at it a lot, but am not getting paid to do it. It enriches my life, though.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

I got paid for working 60 hours. My father was a business owner plus being a general contractor with the state for many years. He also delivered funiture when he was in his 20s and 30s. He also wasn't educated so his work was low skilled. There is nothing wrong with that. It's just reality. When I say that people are lazy, I'm talking about my experiences with people whom I've met over the years. I know there are a lot of people who work damn hard. They work much harder than me that's for sure.

And thats the problem right there. If i work 80 hours, 60 hours or 40 hours i get paid for 40.

If i actually got paid for every hour, or if it was my own business i think everyone can agree that we would all have different attitudes. Instead, we are sold a lie that says if you work these obscene hours it will help you out years later when you will supposedly get promoted.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Drove by a McDonalds today. The sign out front said "Delivery by uber eats!". Same thing at my local taco bell.

Paying someone to pick up fast food for you?

There's a new service here called Skip The Dishes that basically does this, I guess it's not any different than ordering pizza, but yeah the fact that food delivery in general is a pretty big thing kind of shows how lazy we are. I'll admit I get stuff delivered a lot, mostly because I'm too lazy to take the snow off the car, warm it up etc. I'll pay the 3 bucks to get something delivered. I have not tried the new Skip the dishes service yet though. Normally if I order something it's a step above fast food to make it more worth while.

 

[lxskllr]

If i actually got paid for every hour, or if it was my own business i think everyone can agree that we would all have different attitudes. Instead, we are sold a lie that says if you work these obscene hours it will help you out years later when you will supposedly get promoted.

I get paid for every hour, and I don't want to do anything over 40. Less is even better. Every hour alive is gone forever. I'd rather be doing stuff I like than wasting time at work.

 

[Red Squirrel]

The trick is to make sure to be in a union I would never want to work for a non union environment. The employer will try to exploit you as much as they possibly can, because there is no rules against it and no protections for you. If you don't like it, they just fire you and there's 50 people lined up for your job. It's super cut throat out there these days as there is not enough good paying jobs for everyone and costs of living keep going up.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Yet Americans' work hours keep going up. It's almost like the fruits of their labor is being siphoned off at the top.

Blame the Republicans...….they are stealing the fruits of our labors and our dreams!!

 

[JEDIYoda]

Drove by a McDonalds today. The sign out front said "Delivery by uber eats!". Same thing at my local taco bell.

Paying someone to pick up fast food for you?

Why not? If you are entitled, go for it!!

 

[JEDIYoda]

I can't relate to this stuff. I cook, I've been able to cook ever since fleeing the parental coop, even before because my mom didn't like to cook (but did, but if I wanted food I really liked alot of the time I had to prepare it myself). I don't have safety sensors in my car so I PAY ATTENTION! My car is over 20 years old and I have no need of another right now. But TBH I hope my next car will let me take a nap while it takes me to my destinations. A $400 emergency... no problemo. I don't have an unlimited phone plan (talking about my smartphone), but I always have a huge excess I don't use on my $10/month plan. I've never paid more than $100 for a phone. I haven't eaten out for about 2 months. The person you're talking about seems to me about the opposite of me

I am the same way. Of course we all have our vices but mine are small and far between! I am happy just doing what I fo and I cook every night for myself. My car is a 1995 Chevy Lumina that runs but looks like a rat rod...lol.....
But I have no complaints! *I have been blessed that I am financially able to pay my medical bills!

 

[JEDIYoda]

Yeah, we're really lazy. We expect everything to be instantaneous and automatic, and screw the future. We don't cook because there's fast food, we don't pay attention while driving because we have "safety" sensors, we buy everything because we need to have it in order to fit in, we cannot drive a car that is more than three years old, etc.

There's no excuse to not being able to afford a $400 emergency if you have a full-time job, maybe even part-time. That's "sacrificing" $7.70/week for one year, yet everyone needs to have an $80 unlimited phone plan for their fancy $700 smart phone and eat every meal out.

No excuse? Your kidding , right?? I know plenty of people who are married and man and wife are both working and have children and cannot afford basic medical care...…….
You must be one of those Trump Republicans...

 

[BurnItDwn]

yep i'm lazy and not afraid to admit

i'm gonna quit working when i'm 45 or 50 and do whatever the heck i want

Some of us are so lazy, we even reply into other threads!

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

The trick is to make sure to be in a union I would never want to work for a non union environment. The employer will try to exploit you as much as they possibly can, because there is no rules against it and no protections for you. If you don't like it, they just fire you and there's 50 people lined up for your job. It's super cut throat out there these days as there is not enough good paying jobs for everyone and costs of living keep going up.

Because unions have never been abused... "Hey everyone, pay us from your paycheck every week and we will help you out!"

 

[IronWing]

Because unions have never been abused... "Hey everyone, pay us from your paycheck every week and we will help you out!"

Never do anything that will benefit yourself if there is the slightest chance somebody, somewhere might abuse the opportunity.

 

[zinfamous]

Some of us are so lazy, we even reply into other threads!

lol, that was really confusing.

but in reply to brianmanahan, in this thread: that's not lazy, that's smart.