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Ever since Samuel Johnson famously proposed that “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel,” last-refuge quotes, such as Isaac Asimov’s “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent,” have been popular.

I have to follow Ambrose Bierce’s lead on this subject, though: In both cases, far from being the last refuges, they are the first.

Which leads to this week’s attempt at aphoristic immortality: “Coercion is the first refuge of the lazy.” (Yes, I do recognize that Freecell is the real first refuge. Chalk it up to artistic license.)

To operate a computer, you point, click, double-click, or right-click. To operate a car you push on the gas, stomp on the brake, or crank the steering wheel.

Which is why you have to feel sorry for Steven Spear.

Spear, you’ll recall, authored Chasing the Rabbit (2008) — an in-depth analysis of what makes high-performance organizations tick. It’s a fine book. Spear based much of his analysis on Toyota, though, which has managed to mess up gas, brakes and steering … pretty much the entire driving experience.

The easy conclusion is that Spear is a chump and his book a waste of time.

“If necessity is the mother of invention, then laziness is surely the father” — multiple sources; thanks to Jim Carls for bringing it to my attention. And anyway, as the ancient joke has it, the father is really a guy named Pat Pending.