Laziest people on earth?

What country harbours the laziest people on earth? Whatever the final answer to that question may be, there is absolutely no question that Venezuela must be considered the most serious of candidates. This claim is in no way founded on the limited scope of comparisons to north European countries, even though we have been annoyed when shop attendants refuse to stop chatting to friends in the cellphone even though several customers line up, and the striking unprofessionalism and disinterest in many shops and offices. In our building in Pampatar resides a young Spanish hotel manager and his wife, and he forcefully lamented the venezuelans resentment to work, and talked about the myriads of methods one must apply to make them fulfil their duties. Note that this comes not from a stern German, but from a Spaniard, the founding country of the mañana, mañana-mentality. Not all South Americans are the same. Our posada-owner in Juan Griego was from Peru, and she told us that she, after 11 years in Venezuela, has realized that she never fully could and will understand the venezuelans blatant aversion of work. Note that this comes from a peruvian, a native of a mountainous South American country known for habitants that hardly show any sign of productive behaviour other than during the brief intermissions when they stop their eternal chewing of coca leaves to search for new ones. Well, only joking there, of course, but the reaction from her do add a bit of perspective. Much of the lazyness however, is actually entirely understandable, and the reasons apparent: The climate. The heat. The scorching sun. During almost every day of the year, it is very hard to do any work at all during dayttime. And yet construction work goes on during daytime. Maybe that is the big miracle. And yesterday we saw a bow legged 70 year old lady carrying a heavy load by foot in the afternoon sun. Maybe its not really that people are lazy, even if many middle class venezuelans see it that way, its more of a disinterest in the professional work, and much bigger emphazis on social activities in life. For venezuelans, life is a network of social actions, the professional activities are percieved as peripheral.