Fairly Lazy
By Sean McVeigh
A professor of mine in college once described my attitude as “laissez-faire.” I took it as a compliment. She did not mean it as one.
For those of you who are not up to snuff on your French or your late 19th and early 20th century U.S. economic policies, laissez faire is a term used to describe a hands-off approach to things. In French, it literally translates to “allow to be.”
Professor Streissguth meant for this to be a wake-up call. She wanted me to care more but was being as cordial as possible. This was a public speaking class. I was decent at public speaking (hence why I took the class) and knew I could get a decent grade with minimal effort. Isn’t that the point? Obviously not!
My college years, like most others, were a paradox. On the one hand, I had a blast. I made some great friends, and we had a lot of fun. Those four years helped me to become the person I am today. But on the other guilt-stained hand (Out, damned spot!), I probably should’ve put some more effort into some of my classes.
Like most college graduates, I grew up once I actually graduated. Out in the real world, no longer surrounded by the protective walls of that wonderful Neverland-esque environment, things start to look a bit different. I’ve come a long way and grown up and out of most of those bad college habits. But one thing I wish I hadn’t lost was my laissez-faire attitude.
In my “older” age, I find myself getting worked up about nonsense that shouldn’t merit any sort of agitation. The college me was all about going with the flow and taking each day one pitch at a time. The only way to fluster College Sean was to remind him about that 8:30 a.m. class tomorrow morning … and that still only worked about 50% of the time.
I can’t help but think the folks who can keep that attitude are the happiest among us. For some, I’m sure it’s all an act. They’re like the old duck metaphor: cool above the water and flailing like a madman (mad-duck?) just below the surface. But maybe even that’s enough. Act like something for long enough and eventually it’s not an act anymore. As Will Durant said, “We are what we repeatedly do.” I think the people who choose to have this mindset as their approach to life save themselves a heck of a lot of unnecessary stress. And I am striving to get back there.
My wife says that I still very much have a laissez-faire attitude. I can understand her viewpoint when it’s in reference to me cleaning the bathroom. But perhaps my old professor wasn’t delivering the slight I imagined at all. After all, she could’ve been a lot more direct with her words (“Will you quit being such a lazy sack of …?”). I mean, she was a public speaking professor and a good one at that. Instead, maybe she was offering a compliment while still encouraging me to give a little more effin’ effort. Or maybe not — we will never know.
