The start-up revolution has brought about a new denition of laziness. I personally think that laziness has changed. It used to be about avoiding physical labour. Those who idle around are dened as lazy. The lazy person could nap or have a cup of tea while others got hot, sweaty and exhausted through hard work.

Part of the reason society frowns on the lazy is that this behaviour means more work for the rest of us. Those who work hard end up looking after the lazy ones one way or another (through taxes and social grants).

In the start-up revolution, the new denition of laziness has nothing to do with physical labour and everything to do with fear.

If you are not going make those sales calls or invest in that innovation or push that insight, if you are sheep walking your life, asking no questions, changing nothing, adding nothing new, you are not avoiding being lazy because you need physical rest. You are hiding out because you are afraid of expending emotional and mental labour.

In the connection economy, adding nothing new to the status-quo because of fear is the new denition of laziness.