Chapter One

Given that today is the “age of the sound bite,” those last two responses would likely be edited out of a news report, as though it’s been accepted and determined that the public only wants quick and easy solutions to its problems and issues. One by-product of this artificially sweetened brainwashing is the public’s general attitude of “What are you going to do?” resulting in an unspoken acceptance that the most important matters of the day are beyond anyone’s control. This may seem to be a subtle form of procrastination, yet one needs only to glance at recent voter turnout reports to see a downward curve, ending in all-time low numbers. Simply put, a great many people don’t show up to vote on Election Day because they don’t believe that their votes count. That downward curve may end on a statistician’s chart, but the trend itself reverberates through society.

One knock-on effect of this type of societal procrastination is similar to the new strains of super-bacteria that have grown stronger as they’ve grown resistant to antibiotics. It’s today’s career-politicians who have lost their fear of not doing the people’s will, upsetting the electorate, and being kicked out of office. After all, if no one shows up to vote them out of office, what consequences do they face?

When citizens stop taking action as a group, what happens, and what effect does this have on how we feel? Politicians divert their attention to the wishes of their true supporters, political action committees that provide campaign contributions from big business interests. Is it any surprise then when politicians vote in favor of lowering business regulations, and we then read news reports of peanut butter infected with salmonella bacteria, and of contaminated gourmet pet food causing kidney disease and deaths of our cats and dogs? We stare in wonder, as the world seemingly spins out of control, and feel hopeless and helpless.

The same holds true with regard to how much or how little control we exert over our own lives. If we neglect our needs, we feel poorly as a result, and should we continue this neglect, we may begin questioning our resolve. For many, this is the start of a long, downward slide into mental depression.

A Procrastinator in Motion—Is Going Nowhere, Fast

Many procrastinators feel separated from the rest of society, one they may perceive of as having an almost instinctive knowledge of how to take care of its tasks and responsibilities. The procrastinator feels cold,