Are the British lazy?

[Buelligan]

I agree with nearly everyone here in that it's a number of factors - language barrier results in people take the "simplest" jobs available; immigrants who don't know their rights being exploited by unscrupulous bosses; people leaving their home country and going elsewhere specifically to work and send money home; business-savvy people who can't find a job going "fuck it" and setting up their own businesses. Meanwhile the "domestic" population are more familiar with employment law, the social welfare safety net (or what's left of it), are fluent in the native language thus enabling them to qualify for jobs where you need more fluency, etc.

Agreed.

I was just thinking about why people need to work - apart from earning their crust.  I've been furloughed for months now and it's fucking fantastic - life just does not get any better and yet, and yet...

I've been able to recover my sleep, fix a lot of things that needed working on, help other people, loads of really positive things that I just couldn't have managed given the energy and time work normally sucks out of my life.  But I get days when I just feel uneasy, a bit negative and guilty, maybe depressed.  Taking care of gardens, getting all my ducks in a row, massive walks, all help but I think I've programmed myself so deeply to thrash my body through the working day that if I just sit around, I can't sit around.  I feel overwhelmed by guilt and dark feelings, like I'm LAZY. 

I'm thinking more people need to embrace their inner lazy, accept they have the right to just hang around pointlessly, celebrate it.

[Sherringford Hovis]

I'm thinking more people need to embrace their inner lazy, accept they have the right to just hang around pointlessly, celebrate it.

No, they don't. As the laziest fucker that has ever lived, my exalted position completely depends on everyone else working harder than me. If I have to start putting any effort into being lazy, I'll be so cross.

[The Culture Bunker]

As the laziest fucker that has ever lived...

I would challenge you on that title, but to do so would be defying my nature.

[Buelligan]

Heheh.  Just had a pointless day.  Everything's orderly and everything, so it's not like I'm avoiding stuff, nevertheless I could have occupied myself fruitfully, chose not to.  Had a marvelous zen thought about this day - if you waste a day alone and no one cares, is it still wasted?

So, not entirely wasted my time.  Deep stuff.

[Pranet]

If it helps anyone make up their mind, I worked from home for the first time today and I did absolutely fuck all. I did get some washing done and had a shave.

[RetroRobot]

Well I've just done a study to find out but cannot honestly be arsed writing my findings

[thenoise]

Imagine if you could travel to Poland, earn ten times the wage you get here for better working conditions, save enough to buy a house back home for your family after a few years and enjoy a lifestyle that, while a long way from luxury, is considerably better than your parents or grandparents would have dreamt of. How often would you ring in sick with a Wednesday morning hangover?

[Captain Z]

In Poland? Probably every week.

[thenoise]

OK bad example... pretend there is a country where Poland is now, with shit weather, booze costs a bomb and the locals turn into violent xenophobes after a pint and a half?