Why lazy?

July 12, 2008 (journal/item/205)

In the central plain in my country where the climate is always warm to hot, with abundant sunshine, and rain and lots of trees, where, in the past, one never had to worry about freezing winter or scorching heat, eruptions of volcanoes or earthquakes, where the fear of hurricane or tornadoes were unknown, even typhoons were mild, where, since ancient time, the people were familiar with what was described in a traditional folk song that said, "in the water there are fish, in the paddy field there is rice" ("nai-nam mee-plah, nai-na mee-khao"), most people never understood why it was necessary to work hard, to save money, and to take advantage of others. They had plenty of time to sing and dance and to play all kinds of games. Even cooking was time consuming: it was artistic. Life was comfortable. Life was lazy.

Unfortunately the paradise in the central plain in my country ceased to be paradise when more and more hard-working immigrants came. They left their famine-infested hometown, they reached this paradise, they saw the chance and the future, they thanked their god. They worked hard, they took every advantage, they saved money. They exploited the fields, the water, and the forests. They got rich. They got power.

A few centuries passed by. Air became polluted, water was contaminated, fruits and veggies in the fields were not free for anyone to pick at one's wish anymore. The immigrants made sure their children received the best education. The children grew up to be leaders in the communities. The exploitations continued. The immigrants became localized. They owned big enterprises. They hired the locals, who had grown up with traditional easy-going way of life. The enterprise owners wanted hard working employees. The easy-going employees could not satisfy the need of the bosses. The easy-going people quit difficult works and tried something easier. They wanted to keep being "human". They refused long-hour work. Other immigrants came. They needed money badly. They were willing to do anything in exchange for money. The owners hired them. More immigrants came. All came to work.

The country frowned at millions of these new comers. The easy-going people were left very little choice. If they do not want to do labor work they have to study hard in order to do difficult jobs with better pay. If they want easy money they are doomed. It is obvious that the paradise is forever gone.

Now we all frown at "lazy" people. No lazy people can afford to live elegantly these days. But do hard-working people enjoy their days? I doubt!

I am talking about the people in the central plain in my country in the tropics.