Q&A: Laziness and Internet Addiction

2) Can the venerable give me some advice on how to cope with laziness and internet addiction?

Hmmm … laziness and internet addiction. Quite an interesting pair … ‘cos laziness is inactivity, while addiction is not.

We can be lazy about many things. For example, I’m “lazy” when it comes to killing mosquitoes. So I’ve not killed one (in my knowledge) for many many years. I’m also “lazy” with making money. So I’ve quit my job and become a monk, and have not made any cash for all these years; the up side is that you cannot be retrenched as a result! :p We are lazy about some things and passionate about others, even to the point of being addicted to them. The difference between the two, lies in interest.

We are lazy about things that do not interest us. Life, unfortunately and frequently, requires us to do things that are less than interesting. Take work for example. Most of us are not interested in our work. Really. We are driven mostly by what it can bring us or others. Sometimes that is monetary gain, sometimes it is a sense of satisfaction derived from identifying ourselves with the profession. Without the motivation behind, we would naturally be lazy, and I say that without condoning or condemning it.

To fight laziness, one would then need to find the value in the thing or activity. This value may then generate interest and in turn drive and energy. Cutting internet addiction on the otherhand, would require one to see the effects such an addiction brings you. You may need to share with me the extent which the person, with internet addiction, is surfing the internet. The frequency and duration etc. Is it serious enough to be considered an addiction? How is using the internet affecting the persons’ life? Is it hampering his normal daily activities such as studies, work or personal life? These information would be
helpful for a start.

Let me know how this work out and we can follow up on it.