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One little anecdote on QQG's reply to Pierce about the universality of laziness ... In the 1950s/60s US foreign aid folks introduced modern rice strains into Laos and Cambodia, which produced three times as much yield per hectare. The locals loved it. The foreigners rather anticipated much bigger yields, growing wealth, social development. Nah, the locals just cultivated 60% less area, and got the same yield for less work.
My vague, undocumented, not-rigorously-researched general opinion is that Western European/ North American culture is one of the least lazy. Japan, some parts of China, and the West ...
I wonder if climate affects this. In higher-latitude climates, you have to work hard during the growing season or you'll starve in the winter, and cultures that adapt to that will have a strong work ethic.
In low-latitude climates, the growing season is year round, so living pretty much hand-to-mouth, or at least field-to-table, is more viable, food storage is harder and prolonged exertion will kill you. These cultures develop siestas and easy times.
Disclaimer: I think I'm just making this up. But I did read Guns, Germs and Steel a while back (which I recommend as one of the best history books I have ever read) and the seeds of this idea MIGHT have come from this book. Maybe. Credit to J. Diamond if appropriate, blame to me if not.
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