Laziness Does Not Exist

Paperback, 256 pages

Published Jan. 4, 2022 by Atria Books.

ISBN:: 978-1-9821-4011-3

No rating (1 review)

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 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 …

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 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.

1 edition

Zoi und Einhorn reviewed Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price

Laziness does exist, apparently in me

No rating

DE: Ich bin etwas enttäuscht von dem Buch. Ich hatte mir von dem Titel und dem Klappentext versprochen, mit wissenschaftlichen Grundlagen untermauert zu lesen, warum ich gar nicht faul bin, sondern meine exekutiven Funktionen dafür verantwortlich sind, dass ich mich faul fühle. Allerdings sind die Beispiele in dem Buch für mich zu hoch gegriffen. Die Personen dort arbeiten drei Jobs gleichzeitig, während sie kranke Angehörige pflegen und von mehrfacher Marginalisierung betroffen sind. Ich habe beim Lesen vor allem noch mal vor Augen geführt bekommen, dass es viele Menschen in den USA einfach nochmal sehr viel schwerer haben als ich und bin wieder dankbar für unser sicherlich nicht fehlerfreies deutsches Sozialsystem. Leider fühle ich mich im Vergleich zu diesen Beispielen am Ende aber fauler als vorher. Trotzdem ein spannendes Buch.

EN: I'm a little disappointed with the book. From the title and the description on the back cover, I had hoped …

DE: Ich bin etwas enttäuscht von dem Buch. Ich hatte mir von dem Titel und dem Klappentext versprochen, mit wissenschaftlichen Grundlagen untermauert zu lesen, warum ich gar nicht faul bin, sondern meine exekutiven Funktionen dafür verantwortlich sind, dass ich mich faul fühle. Allerdings sind die Beispiele in dem Buch für mich zu hoch gegriffen. Die Personen dort arbeiten drei Jobs gleichzeitig, während sie kranke Angehörige pflegen und von mehrfacher Marginalisierung betroffen sind. Ich habe beim Lesen vor allem noch mal vor Augen geführt bekommen, dass es viele Menschen in den USA einfach nochmal sehr viel schwerer haben als ich und bin wieder dankbar für unser sicherlich nicht fehlerfreies deutsches Sozialsystem. Leider fühle ich mich im Vergleich zu diesen Beispielen am Ende aber fauler als vorher. Trotzdem ein spannendes Buch.

EN: I'm a little disappointed with the book. From the title and the description on the back cover, I had hoped to read about why I am not lazy at all, but rather that my executive functions are responsible for the fact that I feel lazy. However, the examples in the book are too ambitious for me. The people there are working three jobs at the same time while caring for sick relatives and facing multiple marginalization. Reading the book made me realize once again that many people in the USA simply have a much harder time than I do and I am once again grateful for our German welfare system, although it is certainly not flawless. Unfortunately, compared to these examples, I feel lazier at the end than when I started. Nevertheless, an insightful book.