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Being called lazy is an insult so why do we look down on laziness? Has sloth always been considered a sin? Don’t good things sometimes come out of trying to take it easy?

Laziness, slothfulness, idleness and apathy are used as criticisms and insults against individuals, groups and sometimes whole countries. But why? The Greeks saw laziness as a virtue and something to be sought after whereas today we look down on being unproductive. Should we keep ourselves constantly busy or is laziness something we should feel less guilty about? Isn’t a little bit of downtime good for the soul? After all, do good things not come out of taking it easy?

(Photo: Legs extended on a hammock. Credit: Shutterstock)

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23 minutes

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Sun 25 Mar 201800:32GMT
BBC World Service except News Internet

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  • Mon 19 Mar 201813:32GMT
    BBC World Service except News Internet
  • Mon 19 Mar 201820:06GMT
    BBC World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
  • Mon 19 Mar 201821:06GMT
    BBC World Service East and Southern Africa, Australasia, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only
  • Tue 20 Mar 201802:32GMT
    BBC World Service except News Internet
  • Sun 25 Mar 201800:32GMT
    BBC World Service except News Internet

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