It was quite insightful to read your article about the survival of the slackest (“Survival of the slackest: An evolved theory”, Gulf News, May 5).
The article stated that sluggishness, after all, is not bad thing. It often makes me wonder how some people manage to have all the energy in the world, trying to achieve so many things in very little time. Such people are always on the move, packing a lot in their to-do list and most of the time, managing to do them all. But then, I also want to see them relax and spend time amidst nature.
Experiencing pleasure and happiness in simple things like gazing at the moon and stars, watching how leaves on nearby trees flutter, observing a stray cat cuddle up on a sidewalk and more — all are things to pay attention to. They might be labelled as things only simpletons enjoy. However, just because people are not discussing the stock market, investments, or about climbing the career ladder, they are called slackers or non-achievers. Most of the time, people don’t want to hang out with them.
To my understanding, people who wish to live their lives on their own terms find themselves to be misfits in most social settings. Laziness is a derogatory term attached to individuals who are considered to have no aspirations or talent. But most often, the reality is far from the truth. Most people who others label as ‘lazy’ or ‘slacker’ have the ability to look at things from a broader angle. They hate to be engrossed in micro-level activities and that is one reason they find it hard to do things that demand attention to details.
There could be many individuals who possess immense artistic talent, but are working as salesmen or in accounting, thus not achieving their full potential. The division of labour during the time of ancient or tribal settings was quite simple. Survival depended on doing more or less the same kind of activity, so it was difficult to ascertain whether there were any slackers in the community. With human societies and occupations getting more complex over time, people are scrambling to find a sphere best suited to their talents, where they can excel. The world needs all sorts of people to survive. Whether a person is a painter, poet, musician, scientist, mathematician or philosopher – the world needs you.
The reader is a resident of Dubai.
