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OP when you say why are so many Americans lazy where are you getting this from and what proof do you have? there are lazy people worldwide. I know more more famous Americans then i do non americans who are very successful.
ps. not sure where you are located but just because students at your school and people at your job are lazy does not mean ALL Americans are. Maybe its a isolated lazy-ness issue in your area.
My work occasionally has me travelling to our sites in other parts of the world, and I can assure you: laziness occurs everywhere. (And in a few locations outside the US, I saw some people sleeping in their offices during the day.) If people are slacking, perhaps expectations have been set too low. Also, consider that companies make a big fuss to hire highly-qualified people who are capable of doing everything from A to Z, but then put them in dull jobs where they can only perform tasks A to E. Or they are in jobs where there are 2 or 3 managers above them who are less hard-working, less knowledgeable about the work, and less inclined toward innovation--and yet try to take credit for everything they do. Not particularly motivational after just 3 years, 5 years, 10 years, etc.
The economy has become so convoluted that for many of us, particulartly mature workers, there is no longer much of an incentive. The growth in the labor force -- most of it from "trailing spouses" or students and retiress rather than "sole breadwinners" further complicates things.
At age 62, I examine my employment options very carefully: Will a few extra bucks a week cover the true cost of getting to work? Can I count on a "seasonal" job every year and, if so, can I advance with that emmployer? If the job is "permanent" can I expect opprtunities for a raise; or am I going to be held back, dumbed-down and speeded-up with little possiblity of overtime? If the job is temporary, gan I pack enough activity into a "high quarter' to get a better Unemployment check the next time around? Can I get health insurance, and is that insurance of quality, along the lines of Blue Cross, or a "bare bones" package that covers the indiscretions of the young, the reckless and the shortsighted, but won't be around when the game gets rough as we advance in age?
The "chickens have come home to roost" due to a lot of poor, or just plain devious planning from politicians on both sides of the divide. We are going to have to discern, and provide for, the contingencies that are unique to us as indivdudals. Big Brother/Sister just have too much on their plate to look out for everybody.
The word "Insentive" is the key word with respect to the question of being LAZY now days.
The GOVMT has introduced so many laws from the old days of child labor to the point where a person cannot hire a young girl/boy that could be working on a part time basis thus learning a little self dependence and worthyness/experience for the future that is ahead of them.
When in business I would have loved to hire a teen boy in my Auto Repair/Parts house for a learning experience.
Laws would not allow me due to the EPA Hazard rules in place.
Too many laws in the US compared to other countries.
When was the last time you saw a teen washing cars at a used car lot on a sat morning?
That was just one example...could post a lot more...waste of time I'm afraid.
Well, you could look at it two ways - Americans work so many hours, they have little time to sit down and eat proper meals - with family. Just a constant rat race, so they grab a burger, hot dog, cakes.....on the run. Leading to sugar rush, dip, tiredness and so back to the high sugar rubbish.
The french on the other hand - are the slimmest people - they work less hours, so are more relaxed, have more time and place greater emphasis on family meal times - lesiurely spent, eating good, home cooked food and excellent wine.
The fatter you get the harder it is to do ANYTHING! So staying slim, is best for your health and for overall performance at work.....developing a good attitude.
Need better education relating to food choices. For overall improvements in every area of our lives and of course better mental health too.
The media and politicians are always pandering and telling us that Americans are the hardest working people in the world. Yes, some Americans are very hard working and there are lots of impressive people in our country. But in general I find most people I meet to be very lazy. In fact I come in contact with more lazy people all the time. I teach at a college in the evening and so many students are lazy and will do the absolute minimum to pass. During the day I work as a manager at a very good company and we are constantly having trouble with lazy employees who lack creativity, skills and drive.
Do you believe that Americans of all ages are becoming lazy and are Americans still the hardest working people in the world?
I've also noticed that many Americans only want to do the bare minimum to get by.
A lot of it has to do with the way they were raised. Many parents spoil their children. They also try to be their child's friend instead of raising them right. Work ethic needs to be instilled from day one. Some parents don't even ask their kids to help out with chores around the house. Can you believe that? That would never fly in my old household.
Society is also partially to blame. Mediocrity is celebrated more than it used to be. Growing up, even the most unathletic kids received participation trophies so that their feelings wouldn't get hurt. In school, classes were often dumbed-down and grading was done on a curve. A college education in the U.S. is the equivalent of a high school education (if that) in other developed nations. No wonder we're falling behind.
In short, we've raised a society of lazy, entitled brats who are ill-prepared for the real world. They expect the world to be handed to them on a silver platter, and throw hissy-fits at the first sign of distress. This phenomenon seems to get worse with each successive generation. Looking at the youth of today, I can't help but weep for the future.
I've also noticed that many Americans only want to do the bare minimum to get by.
In short, we've raised a society of lazy, entitled brats who are ill-prepared for the real world. They expect the world to be handed to them on a silver platter, and throw hissy-fits at the first sign of distress. This phenomenon seems to get worse with each successive generation. Looking at the youth of today, I can't help but weep for the future.
There is a great deal of truth in your post, but there are still several sides to the story.
With the family no longer dependent upon the sole breadwinner, and the abilities for employment, but only part-time and in a limited capacity for sposes, teenagers, and retirees, Papa doesn't have the sole economic influence he once did. That fuels "patriarchal paranoia" in some cases.
And on the other side of the argument, many younger workers bristle at the regimentation common in the emerging Orwellian workplace, although the exact nature of the "negatives" varies considerably. I recently left a very slow-paced call center job ... not so much because of the low pay as due to the supervior (ex-military) insisting upon complete control of my time and attention when the tasks were insultingly simple and the opportunity for additional training, other than supervision, was nil ... in effect, constantly "standing at attention" with nothing constructive, or paycheck-enhancing, to do.
I've also noticed that many Americans only want to do the bare minimum to get by.
Have you also noticed that many employers only want to pay the bare minimum they can get away with? Compare the benefits/pension structures of the average job in the 1950's or 60's to the average job today. Some jobs don't even offer health coverage - why would you exert yourself or put strain on your body on behalf of an employer who is too cheap to help you out if you got hurt or needed medical care due to job-related injuries?
And that's before we even get into outsourcing or corporate attempts to excise as many Americans as possible from their balance sheets altogether...
My impression is that workers who came up in the "old school" system of corporate loyalty (and in many cases enjoy perks that have not been extended to junior workers, or have been phased out) are perplexed by the disinterested/"disloyal" outlook of a lot of newer workers because they don't consider the other side of the story - those new workers are not being given the benefits or protections of the old-school corporate world. They are getting the legal minimum, or close to it.
So... what do you expect?
Quote:
we've raised a society of lazy, entitled brats who are ill-prepared for the real world.
When "the real world" consists of company managers regarding employees as disposable bits of balance-sheet waste, you can't turn around and whine that the employees should be more loyal. Anyway, it's factually inaccurate, too, since worker productivity has risen quite a bit over the years. If workers were in fact "lazy," that would be the first indicator to plunge.
I understand that sitting on the couch 24.7 isn't an ideal way to live, but is working at some thankless job for 50 hrs a week, making someone else money, day in, day out, one hour lunch break, 6 hours, 2 hours relax time at home, 6 hours of sleep, back up in the morning to do it again? Is that the opposite of laziness? Most of us participate in the rat race, but who really wants to?! None of us asked to be born, and we certainly didn't ask to live so that we could spend our lives working. Our system is unnatural. If someone wants to slack off, take a break, "be lazy", can't say I blame em.
I probably call myself lazy...my favorite thing to do at the end of my workday, exercise routine, dinner, and walk with the doggy - is to sit and lounge on my couch with a blanket around my feet. Watching TV, doing nothing, maybe chatting on the phone. I am not the epitome of laziness, but I purposely try not to plan any activities on the weekend (other than errands) because the workweek is so back-breaking. Come Friday night, I am plain exhausted and sometimes don't even want to go out to eat dinner. For some people, even though they seem lazy, they are legitimately tired.
When I think of ultimate lazy, I envision that TV show called Hoarders. (Yes, I know they have a mental problem to all of that and need help). I just imagine people ordering food for delivery, and having trash build up around their couch and house. A family I used to know did just that - they didn't really hoard, they just really didn't feel like throwing anything out for a day or so. The mom openly admitted she was "too lazy to throw it out" or "too lazy to get up and make a meal." I felt like an Olympic runner compared to them. But they were so nice and would do anything for you.
This was quite a long reply...ack
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But they were so nice and would do anything for you. 
