Sloths featured on IFL Science!
Definitions of the sin of laziness have changed notably over the centuries…In the medieval period…the concept broadened to encompass all forms of sinful inactivity and workshy idleness, from neglecting everyday chores to falling asleep in church.
Images of sloth in the modern world have precious little to do with its origins in early Christian theology…What, we may ask, would a time-travelling visitor from the medieval period make of our fondness for sloths? …We could reassure our sceptical visitor that it’s possible to learn a thing or two from sloths.
They live a low energy lifestyle; they are generally peaceable; and they understand the virtues of taking your time. Any animal that takes two weeks to digest a meal could certainly teach us a valuable lesson in the virtues of mindfulness and contemplative patience. The sloth is the perfect mascot for a culture that is looking to cure itself of addiction to a hyperactive 24/7 work ethic. Now that we have rehabilitated sloths as the slacktivists of the animal kingdom, perhaps the time has come to formulate a laziness ethic as an alternative to the work ethic that has dominated our society for so long.
