“I choose Juan to do a hard job. Because Juan will find an easy way to do it.” - BILL GATES
THROUGH THE TIRED LUDDITE'S EYES
On a beautiful summer afternoon, imagine leisurely hiking up a hill overlooking a bustling cityscape filled with busy people going about their daily lives. Amid this urban chaos, you spot a figure reclining lazily under a shady guava tree, seemingly oblivious to the world around him. Restfully with his worn-out native woven hat tilted over, he opens his mouth while in a focused gaze towards a particular guava fruit just within reach as if though he expects the fruit to fall into his mouth without any effort on his part. A curious observer should wonder why this young man is in a bizarre situation wherein the one thing he desires is within arm's reach, yet he chooses not to exert any effort to obtain it. What would an observer's first impression of this young man be?
This image of a popular folklore character has his story rooted deeply in culture and has been passed down through generations in the islands of the Philippines. His name is Juan Tamad, also known as Lazy John, a character found in numerous folktales. Unfortunately, his name has become synonymous with laziness and is often used on someone as a negative stereotype for those who embody it.
Juan Tamad has become a cliche character representation of laziness that though his story may have originated as a cautionary tale or a source of entertainment in the Philippines, his character can be applied true to all humanity, a derogatory metaphor for humanity's laziness, procrastination, and complacency that knows no boundaries and transcends race, socio-political, and cultural affiliations. A character that has always been judged, shunned, and renounced by society; a character of failure and disappointment that everyone loves to criticize and ridicule.
In Juan's lazy tales, his name and his shadowy reputation is a stigma that labels anyone who is deemed unproductive, whether at home or in the workplace. Yet we are prompted to question whether this portrayal of Juan Tamad as simply lazy and unproductive is fair or if there is more to his character than meets the eye.
Curiosity requires the least amount of energy to concoct a question in the observer's mind, what comes next is the creative rationalization which is often rooted in preconceived notions and biases defined by societal norms and expectations since having to rely on stereotypes is a common cognitive shortcut that allows individuals to quickly categorize and make sense of the world around them, because it would be too mentally taxing to constantly evaluate and analyze in new unconventional ways. We tend to make assumptions and judgments based on what we perceive as familiar or typical, rather than considering the complexities and nuances in any circumstances. Ironically, is it not laziness that leads to the perpetuation of stereotypes like Juan Tamad's character and our quick judgments based on them? Are we not, in fact, being lazy ourselves by relying on these stereotypes rather than taking the time to understand and empathize with others?
THROUGH THE SOVEREIGN INDIVIDUAL'S EYES
After a long day working under the feudal system at the Barrio, near the town outskirts, a young man is walking home with "An Analog Guy In A Digital World" by Martin Roth playing on his headphones. Golden sunlight casts long shadows on the path of the Amihan winds bringing a gentle breeze that sweeps through the fallen leaves, creating a sense of tranquility. As an observer, one can only judge from his relaxed pace and casual demeanor that he must be living a comfortable and satisfied life. He mindlessly strolls along the familiar path while lost in his thoughts amplified by the beautiful melody playing in his ears and his head dancing to the rhythm, making him oblivious to his surroundings. To an observer, indeed he must be living a life of leisure and contentment, how wonderful it would be to have such a life of ease and carefreeness.
He found himself on top of a hill at his favorite spot beneath a guava tree, overlooking the chaotic town below, a place where he often took breaks and daydreamed. On top of the hill, he can see the reality that no one seems to have realized within the community of the Barrio, he sees the manipulation of violence within a corrupt system that gave rise to a more sophisticated structure of serfdom. In reality, this young man has been feeling a deep sense of yearning for something more meaningful and fulfilling, something that goes beyond mere survival and societal expectations. He dreams of breaking free from the constraints of society's monotonous routine and exploring his true passions and potential. He dreams of creating works that will move and inspire others, challenge the status quo and spark societal change.
As he sat beneath the tree, his attention was captured by a guava fruit hanging in front of him. He couldn't help but ponder why, even though he wasn't hungry, there was still an instinctual desire to pluck it from the tree. Was it simply just greed that drove humans to take what they didn't necessarily need?
He comparatively sees the guava fruit as the incentive for knowledge, and the key for progress. He understands that all fruits will eventually fall due to natural forces, like gravity, indicating their ripeness for consumption. He sees himself as an organic battery degrading through the complex machinery of life, hence he always takes time to think deeply and consider questioning himself before spending his hard-earned stored energy — “For what greater reason, or purpose, or incentive do my actions intend to provide in which I am required to spend a significant fraction of my stored and limited amount of energy in this infinite demanding strand of life? What do I get in the future if I do this action?”. He wondered how long he should hold on to his greed and hunger until nature provides. He realized that only the knowledge about the behavior and characteristics of a guava fruit against the forces of nature could help him solve his conundrum, and so did Isaac Newton and his patience to solve the mystery of a natural force behind falling objects through his observation of an apple falling from a tree.
Realizing that information is the key to unlocking his desires, he resolves to feed his curiosity and pursue knowledge as a means of achieving fulfillment and breaking free from societal constraints. Even though just staring at a guava fruit hanging from a tree ignited this realization, he pondered why humans are driven by greed and the innate desire to take more than they need. He wondered what if everyone knew the characteristics of a particular incentive relative to their time preference and the consequences it could bring if they acted against its natural course, would this lead to a significant shift in human behavior and a more balanced distribution of resources? He realized that time preference and knowledge are just the resources for driving human behavior and that the value in security and integrity from these resources is the determining factor for decision-making. Time is limited, knowledge is vast, hence the human insecurity in value broods a constant desire for more, resulting in a never-ending cycle of greed and consumption of incentives. Any accurate forecasts of the impact of incentives on an individual's behavior in the future are likely to be true just because human actions are driven by a combination of fear and greed. Just as the hard truth from dropping a 500-peso bill on a street will inevitably lead someone to pick it up and happily keep it for themselves while leaving the rightful owner in despair. The innate force behind human behavior, like the force of gravity behind the behavior of the universe, is the fundamental drive for survival and self-preservation, fear and greed.
Juan Tamad is susceptible to the same forces of fear and greed, his approach is just different. To him, physical effort and hard work are unnecessary when he can find alternative ways to achieve his desires, he goes on to various jobs changing the conventions that often get him into trouble, and that requires extensive thinking and problem-solving. Mental work requires lesser energy than physical work, and Juan Tamad exploits this fact to his advantage. He has mastered the art of using his wit to exploit situations to his advantage, that even the simplest task can become a puzzle that he would want to solve and rationalize in the laziest way possible. Much like the thoughtful anticipation of the incentives from a guava fruit to naturally fall from its tree, leading to the aforementioned rationalization that led him to a realization that the insecurity of value in time and knowledge contributes to the driving forces behind human behavior. Just as Newton's observation of the falling apple led to a deeper understanding of gravity, Juan Tamad contemplates the incentives and forces that drive human behavior, seeking knowledge and understanding to navigate through life's complexities.