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Laziness Does Not Exist
Laziness Does Not Exist | Devon Price
19 posts | 16 read | 31 to read
From social psychologist Dr. Devon Price, a fascinating and thorough examination of what they call the laziness liewhich falsely tells us we are not working or learning hard enoughfilled with practical and accessible advice for overcoming societys 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 persons 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us to let go of guilt and become more attuned to our own limitations and needs and resist the pressure to meet outdated societal expectations.
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Kerrbearlib
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I'm looking forward to reading these books this year.

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GingerAntics
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This is such an important read for everyone in this day and age. This book seriously needs to start discussions amongst all of us. It‘s amazing to look at the ways we even hold ourselves to these impossible standards, even when they do nothing but hurt us physically and mentally.

GingerAntics This has a brilliant discussion of the trauma created by social media and the 24 hour news cycle. Social media has become where we police each other in the Protestant/puritan/Christian, capitalist, political lie that does nothing but hurt us and empower those in power. 1y
GingerAntics I‘ve been seeing the rise in popularity of this book that suggests we should start more things than we intend to finish, and after read this book, I can‘t even look at the cover of that book without seeing the HUGE red flag that book is as another message to continue the laziness lie as opposed to starting to live free of it. 1y
18 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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GingerAntics
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GingerAntics
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Everyone needs to embrace this, especially when it comes to spirituality. Life would be SO much more civil if people would embrace this.
#DevonPrice #LazinessDoesNotExist #notknowing #audiobook #busbook

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GingerAntics
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🤯🤯🤯
Just think about that. The information overload is the internet is growing exponentially. No wonder we‘re all so stressed.
#DevonPrice #LazinessDoesNotExist #information #informationoverload #mindblown #audiobook #busbook

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GingerAntics
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I‘m seeing what this mindset did to my mother (catastrophic stroke in her 50s) and how I have taken on this idea for myself. I really need to learn my way right out of it.
#DevonPrice #LazinessDoesNotExist #audiobook #busbook

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CoffeeK8
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Listening to this audiobook which encourages you to take time for yourself, and taking time for myself but doing an ongoing Lego project with my family.

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RebL
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But doesn‘t it? My brain says yes, but I‘m ready for the revolution. I agree with other Littens that the book is better when the science-based assertions kick in than when the anecdotal is used. Also A+ LGBTQIA+ & LGBTQIA+-inclusive representation.

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underground_bks
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Pickpick

A social psychologist examines the “laziness lie”—the dominant and damaging belief that being virtuous means working hard and being productive—from its puritanical roots to its impact on work, activism, and our personal lives and relationships today. This relied a little more on anecdotes and interviews than on hard studies and statistics than I would like, but I still think it‘s groundbreaking, radical, inclusive and definitely worth the read.

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wirewrappedlily
Pickpick

I am going to have to read this one a few times, but that‘s also to be expected when you‘re reading a full decimation of a principle that‘s been engrained in every part of your life. Read it. Please. It‘s hard and you may not agree with the politics, but that does not make it wrong, either.

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sarahgreatlove
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Pickpick

SUCH a transformative read. It has been a long time since I read a non fiction that had an impact like this. It‘s really made me rethink my life, how hard I push myself, why I do, why I‘m so hard on myself, and all the ways I‘ve bought into the “laziness lie”. Highly recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Bstro
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Pickpick

Incredibly thought provoking - especially enjoyed the sections about savoring/being in the moment, and boundaries. Price repeatedly challenges our learned behaviors around productivity, worth, etc. Highly recommend this book to everyone!

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shanaqui
Mehso-so

I found this very anecdotal, rather than based as strongly on studies as I'd prefer. It makes some very good points, but I'd like to see the numbers that would back it up, and make it harder for people to ignore. It also felt like it kind of meandered from stuff that you would directly peg as being to do with laziness.

Nonetheless, a lot of it rings true for me -- I'm not saying Price is wrong.

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Mindelan
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Listening to this book while I do some audio-gardening. Like every other teacher I know, I am feeling massively burnt out while still trying to support my students, who have greater needs right now than they have in the past. I‘ve been trying to set aside time to rest and recover, and having this book as a literal voice in my ear has been a great way to validate those needs and remind me that I need to make time to slow down.

Mindelan Picture is prairie smoke in the garden, getting ready to bloom! 3y
akaGingerK I‘m on my second listen of the audiobook. The reminder not to frame actual limitations as a failure of willpower is really helpful to me 3y
Mindelan @akaGingerK Absolutely! And the idea that you need to do nothing sometimes to let your brain reset. It‘s funny how we are trained to actively fight against things we need! 3y
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Christine
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So good! Readable and funny, and makes me question my own attachments to productivity and achievement. Love how it's grounded in social psychology and historical context (I see you, Protestant work ethic!). Really cool how queer perspective/life experience/pronouns were centered rather than just included. Some recommended perspective shifts require various types of privilege to be practically applied, but the author knows and acknowledges this.

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TaraTLK
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Will be talking about this book with a lot of people. Loved the breakdown of how productivity = good and unproductive = bad has infiltrated so many things and what that means for us. Also had some helpful tips for combatting it. The tips were not wildly mind blowing, but useful, and I think knowing the why behind a lot of this helps you see when you've fallen into the thinking in bad ways.

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Thndrstd
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Pickpick

An important book that expands the author's article of the same name that garnered a lot of attention across the Internet. Full of important information and advice, the book analyzes the historical & psychological underpinnings of the "Laziness Lie," the defeating notion that we are not doing, learning, being enough. Price provides a lot of information about how we are doing more than enough, how damaging the Lie is, & advice for overcoming it.

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mandarchy
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This book achieved 2 things for me. 1. It helped me to verbalize and internalize that I need to replace shame with compassion and curiosity. 2. The use of they as a singular pronoun is still hard for me as it's hardwired grammar, but having the experience of reading an author who uses it will help me to overcome that bias.

Prairiegirl_reading I feel the same about “they/them”, it‘s hard to get used to. I‘m always thinking that person and who else?? 🤣🙃🤦🏻‍♀️ 4y
mandarchy @Prairiegirl_reading It brings home the point that language is living. It changes overtime to suit our needs to communicate. Overcoming this discomfort is a form of compassion. 4y
AutumnRLS I have no problem using the "they" pronoun while speaking or listening, but I stumble over it while reading. Definitely something I need to continue to acclimate to. Happy to do the work if it makes others feel seen and cared about. 4y
mandarchy @AutumnRLS spot on: happy to do the work. It's the least I can do. 4y
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Hooked_on_books
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We often feel as though we are not doing enough and are lazy if we don‘t accomplish specific things. Dr Price shows us the lie of this and how productivity and creativity improve when we do not try to meet society‘s absurd standards. There‘s a focus here on work, but social media usage is explored as well as societal expectations based on how one presents. It‘s terrific and I think essentially everyone can relate to this one.

Librariana Does it discuss setting manageable VS unrealistic goals? Or doing things in little chunks VS feeling overwhelmed to do everything all at once? I struggle with both of these things immensely and as a result, attribute it to being lazy 😕 4y
Hooked_on_books @Librariana Not exactly specifically, but in a way it talks about both those things. It mainly focuses on getting rid of the concept of lazy altogether and being more realistic to be happier with your life. I think it would be worthwhile for you. 4y
Librariana @Hooked_on_books - Thank you for sharing that, Holly 😊 I've stacked it and will look for the audio at my library 💜 4y
mandarchy I think I need to read this. A common factor in mental illness is lack of motivation that makes you look lazy. It's devastating to be depressed and then get labeled lazy. The label is the actuality of people giving up on you. Same with the label spoiled. Might as well say, not my problem. Now imagine if this mentally ill person were a child. This labels will define the child. 4y
Hooked_on_books @mandarchy Exactly. The author is a social psychologist and addressing this issue in people who suffer from mental illness and those who are homeless. So much of the “lazy” concept is internalized from our culture, so you‘re right on. It‘s such a good book. And the author is trans, so they also have a unique perspective from the LGBT+ end of things. 4y
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