Why Am I So Lazy? • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Am I So Lazy?

#41

Post by wildmusings » Sun, Jan 07, 2018, 7:50 AM UTC

saulrh wrote: post #11

Motivational essays are this are great for some people. Others, on the other hand, are persuaded to avoid seeking help for medical (mental health, hormonal, etc) problems that are wrecking their lives. Overmedication is a problem, yes, but this particular field is catastrophically underdiagnosed because its problems have come to be seen as moral failings and the fault of the sufferer. If you are so "lazy" that you ha…

You're discounting the value of moral thinking. You can reduce everything to a medical issue, because all human behavior is indeed biologically caused, but you are failing to consider that blame and fault and other moral concepts are exactly the kind of thing the mind is responsive to. Why are you so hostile to those, but so eager to pump people full of drugs, designed and dispensed on the basis of our very poor understanding of the the brain[1].

[1] Which is not to say that there's no place for psychiatric medication, but they should not be the first course of action.

Re: Why Am I So Lazy?

#42

Post by unkeen » Sun, Jan 07, 2018, 7:59 AM UTC

firekvz wrote: post #28

I tried to read this but I couldnt, thats how lazy I am.

But you did manage to write this comment! Someone else could have been way too lazy for that, too.

Re: Why Am I So Lazy?

#43

Post by mixmastamyk » Sun, Jan 07, 2018, 8:09 AM UTC

20years wrote: post #25

Maybe she is not lazy at all. Maybe she just doesn't want to work on things that don't motivate or interest her. It is my ultimate goal to never have to work on things that don't interest me if only I can figure out a way to automate all of that ;) The fact that she has succeeded in getting A's with waiting until the last minute and not putting in much effort, indicates that she is very smart. I have noticed that rea…

I've had this problem. One facet of it was the fixed vs growth mindset (as described by Dweck) due to being told often I was smart as a child.

Re: Why Am I So Lazy?

#44

Post by whiddershins » Sun, Jan 07, 2018, 8:11 AM UTC

josephpmay wrote: post #7

From the little "Sloth" wrote, it sounds like it's possible she might have undiagnosed ADHD. As someone with ADHD myself, I instantly recognized the inability to get myself to start working on something until the last minute (even if I really, really want to do it) and the piles clothes (despite my propensity for cleanliness). Another hallmark of ADHD that many don't know about is bursts of almost manic productivity…

Huh. As someone with diagnosed ADHD and who has (in the past) taken appropriate medication, I still thought the advice rang true.

How you conceptualize your identity is a huge factor in addressing behavior pattern ambivalence. For me it somehow dovetails perfectly with a neurochemistry explanation because there's no bright line separating this stuff.

Re: Why Am I So Lazy?

#45

Post by mixmastamyk » Sun, Jan 07, 2018, 8:22 AM UTC

dgreensp wrote: post #40

As someone who used to be much like the asker and is now a little more like the answerer, I cannot recommend this answer enough! It is so insightful and well-put. Treat it as breadcrumbs from someone farther along on the journey of growth and self-discovery.

Indeed, the part about overachieving relatives hit home also. Mine have big houses, lots of cars, and a big screen in every room. I'm not interested in any of that but would like to meet them a bit closer in their direction, i.e. motivation.

Re: Why Am I So Lazy?

#46

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Jan 07, 2018, 8:25 AM UTC

manigandham wrote: post #32

josephpmay wrote: post #7

From the little "Sloth" wrote, it sounds like it's possible she might have undiagnosed ADHD. As someone with ADHD myself, I instantly recognized the inability to get myself to start working on something until the last minute (even if I really, really want to do it) and the piles clothes (despite my propensity for cleanliness). Another hallmark of ADHD that many don't know about is bursts of almost manic productivity…

That's just normal, not ADHD (which is way too overdiagnosed at this point and would fit 90% of people I meet). People are lazy, but they also do not want to completely ruin their life, so they will wait until they realize they cant wait anymore, doing the minimum amount at the last minute to meet the goal.

[deleted]

Re: Why Am I So Lazy?

#47

Post by tcdent » Sun, Jan 07, 2018, 8:30 AM UTC

saulrh wrote: post #11

Motivational essays are this are great for some people. Others, on the other hand, are persuaded to avoid seeking help for medical (mental health, hormonal, etc) problems that are wrecking their lives. Overmedication is a problem, yes, but this particular field is catastrophically underdiagnosed because its problems have come to be seen as moral failings and the fault of the sufferer. If you are so "lazy" that you ha…

> Let the professionals do it, because they can, first, do no harm.

:O=

Re: Why Am I So Lazy?

#48

Post by barry-cotter » Sun, Jan 07, 2018, 8:50 AM UTC

tomcam wrote: post #36

saulrh wrote: post #11

Motivational essays are this are great for some people. Others, on the other hand, are persuaded to avoid seeking help for medical (mental health, hormonal, etc) problems that are wrecking their lives. Overmedication is a problem, yes, but this particular field is catastrophically underdiagnosed because its problems have come to be seen as moral failings and the fault of the sufferer. If you are so "lazy" that you ha…

> Modern psychiatry has infinitely better cognitive tricks than the moralizing platitudes in motivational essays. Please name two such tricks.

Amphetamines, get enough exercise, get enough sleep, SSRIs if you’re depressed

Re: Why Am I So Lazy?

#49

Post by natecavanaugh » Sun, Jan 07, 2018, 9:05 AM UTC

This was an article that I read and pleasantly winced as the author called out not only my weak choices, but my reasoning for them.

I understand this article isn't for everyone, or maybe even most people, but it's for sure the thing I needed to read now.

Re: Why Am I So Lazy?

#50

Post by adrusi » Sun, Jan 07, 2018, 9:19 AM UTC

manigandham wrote: post #32

josephpmay wrote: post #7

From the little "Sloth" wrote, it sounds like it's possible she might have undiagnosed ADHD. As someone with ADHD myself, I instantly recognized the inability to get myself to start working on something until the last minute (even if I really, really want to do it) and the piles clothes (despite my propensity for cleanliness). Another hallmark of ADHD that many don't know about is bursts of almost manic productivity…

That's just normal, not ADHD (which is way too overdiagnosed at this point and would fit 90% of people I meet). People are lazy, but they also do not want to completely ruin their life, so they will wait until they realize they cant wait anymore, doing the minimum amount at the last minute to meet the goal.

What do you think ADHD is? It's defined by its diagnostic criteria, and those are very vague. There's certainly no consensus that ADHD is anything other than a term to describe the lowest performers on the metrics which Adderall improves. ADHD is definitely not some kind of genetic defect of the prefrontal cortex or anything of that sort.