First of all, reading the posts on this thread gives me a lot of gratitude. Some of you folks (Devildog, Poplars etc.) have some serious physical issues that you have to contend with each day. I have it comparatively easy. There is no way you could be considered 'unmotivated' or 'lazy'; just getting through your day with a good attitude takes fortitude.
One of the systemic problems in our society is that there are few decent day labor jobs where a stoner can make a living wage. It's either put on a suit and tie and join the rat race, or work at McDo's. Most people either do not want or are not able to play the white collar office game-- and today, that condemns them to service jobs and/or poverty.
There are few other options. I dropped out of college back in the early 90s and worked for an arts organization --- $6,000 USD per year! Lived on Mac and Cheese. Then decided to get a grad degree-- more Mac and Cheese with tons of debt. Worked my ass off for 10 years, was able to pay off the debt and then found an awesome job. Now I am in a great environment, work for a good cause, and have good money. But I'm over 40. Working to get here cost me 15 years where I was putting more into the system than I was getting back.
I do think it's true that regular use of pot makes it harder to defer today's pleasures for rewards later (ie. work a skanky job with the hopes of getting something better some day). I also think that the economy sucks right now, so it is much harder to believe that going through the struggle will pay off down the road.
