Dear Editor,

Hard work, given fair and equitable conditions, usually produces corresponding positive fruits — just as laziness produces its own negative results. But, generally, we tend to confuse laziness with discouragement or lack of incentives, for which reason Jamaicans are often branded as either outright lazy or “wutlis”.

Yet, laziness is not a genetic condition that disposes Jamaicans towards sloth and indifference any more than other nations. For hard-working Jamaicans in several countries would be regarded as a “cruff” and wutlis if living in Jamaica.

Although elusive to identify, laziness is real and is a major liability to meaningful growth and development.

A culture of laziness can be cultivated within this mind. For example, it decriminalises violence and the robbing of “Mr Chin’s” shop since work is really oppression and servitude — its own justification.

The nursing of laziness has produced a fearful monster with different features, such as gambling, quick-rich schemes, and the gruesome murders that make the news constantly.

Laziness avoids moral culpability. It may even be viewed as being smart for achieving by deception, corruption, or ease as against working honestly for a modest living.

The impregnable bulwark that laziness presents is that it erects huge and lofty dreams, but doesn’t lift a legitimate finger to achieve them.

Homer Sylvester

Mount Vernon, New York, USA

h2sylvester@gmail.com