"Dorothy Sayers helps us understand the counterfeit passion that can drive our work. In her book Creed or Chaos?, Sayers addresses the traditional seven deadly sins, including acedia, which is often translated as 'sloth.' But as Sayers explains it, that is a misnomer, because laziness (the way we normally define sloth) is not the real nature of this condition. Acedia, she says, means a life driven by mere cost-benefit analysis of 'what's in it for me.' She writes, 'Acedia is the sin which believes in nothing, cares for nothing, enjoys nothing, loves nothing, find purpose in nothing, lives for nothing and only remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die. We have known it far too well for many years, the only thing perhaps we have not known about it is it is a mortal sin.'"
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