Too lazy to take the stairs?

People are lazy, me included. If it involves an easy way out or less effort, then this is doubly so. One recent example involved a trip down to the big smoke. Traveling from A to B, like many, I took the subway. Exiting a train I waited in line, London tube can be annoyingly packed, to get top-side. This queue was big and crammed but well organized due to some security guards keeping the herd in line.

There were stairs!

Five minutes in and I was frustrated enough (following the herds emotions) to question what the hell was holding us up?! Poking my head out the queue I just saw a thick line of flustered travelers slowly moving onto the escalators to take them to the top. One taking us up, one taking others down to the platform and a thin set of stairs separating them. The stairs stuck out like a sore thumb as it seemed like everyone was playing “the floor is lava” game with them and avoiding them at all costs. The security guards keeping everyone in line was ensuring we stayed on route to the escalators, so I thought that may be some annoying HR rep had the bright idea of banning their use to some pointless first world danger. Frustration kept building and with a security guard in earshot of me I asked him why we can’t take the stairs? He answered simply, “you can, just no one wants too”!

Just plain lazy

Let me re-iterate; most in the queue, being a Friday as well, was flustered and frustrated as they. Like me, just wanted to get home. People need to chill. I needed to chill as we’ll get there soon enough but that isn’t my point. No matter how annoying it was standing in the queue not a single individual throughout the 10 minutes I had been waiting there wanted to take the stairs. NO. ONE. What the fuck is wrong with people! I wasted no time; heat of the tube station and the increasing packed space was already getting to me so taking on the steep and long set of stairs was a welcome break.

Maybe everyone else like me thought it was inaccessible for some bullshit reason but as I looked back half way up only a small of handful of people had joined me with the majority opting to wait. It was a long set of stairs, in my frustration I scaled them 2 or 3 steps at a time carrying three bags so perspiration was in full flow, but I was finally out and continued my way home in seconds.

Easy way isn’t the best way

Some people can’t do it, I get that. Most can though, yet I see stairs avoided in shopping centres in favour of escalators, lifts seemingly being the only option in offices and travelators full to the brim in airport so people can travel down long corridors without moving. Why? Because people are too fucking lazy to put effort into getting from A to B. A side effect of technology bringing efficiency to the masses and advanced capabilities is the dumbing down (for another post that one) of society and creating indolent individuals.

We all have times we want to be lazy, but don’t let it be a default state. In the same way as we should watch what we eat, we should watch what we do and be accountable. Whatever machine, computer or device you use to cut corners and make things easier use it to advance yourself. Use it to treat yourself. Don’t be another Sapien giving up…or simply put, don’t be fucking lazy!

Side note: travelators when empty is so much fun, just run down them and look to the side (watching your footing of course) and see how fast it feels.