Its Hard to Have Self Control in a Time of Abundance
Today compared to any other time in history, we are living in an age of abundance. Most things, originated from anywhere in the world, can be delivered to us in a matter of days. Delicious filling food is available for us cheaply, ready in a minute and can be purchased through a drive through. Maintaining self control in an age like this is unimaginably difficult, especially to those who use this abundance as a crutch.
There is a reason why we have so much credit card debt, obesity and drug addiction in the United States and most of it is because despite having access to most things, we arent satisfied in our lives. We purchase things on credit to make us feel good momentarily, drive through Mcdonalds not because we are particularly hungry, but because were addicted to the brief happiness a burger might give us. On top of that we are going through an addicted crises with prescribed medication because its easy and available.
I would say that most people know how to live their lives correctly and do whats best for them, but many times its just convenient to take the easy way out. I do it all the time, recently gaining some weight because I lack self control when it comes to ordering food. When everything is so available, convenient and abundant, its hard to make the right decision. I know that I am killing myself if I continue to eat badly, but part of me only cares about the here and now.
Everyone, including myself, wants a quick fix for everything and if I could find a quick fix for self control, I would want that too. We want to find something that makes us happy in the moment, constantly. The inhibition to wait for satisfaction is something that must be trained over and over again.
We have to reject societal norms of taking the convenient and easy way out, even just to train ourselves. We need to hopefully become the best us we can be because if we dont, our overindulgence and lack of self control might kill us.
Self control is something that I and many others need to work at addressing. Whether it be with food, entertainment, clothes, ect. Moderation is key. Forced moderation while living in a place that pushes you to overindulge, is rough. Im sure many of us overindulge in one part of our lives. It isnt always terrible if it is what you love, but for many, we simply overindulge because we can.
-Calaber24p
I have to admit that I am a glutton... Have to constantly remind myself of self-control...
I am too in many ways. In terms of sweets, I literally will eat until I feel sick. Its a huge problem for me. Im young and am lucky to have a decent metabolism, but that wont last forever.
So true! The SBD pump has been lovely, thanks to it I have paid off at least $500 in debt over the last two weeks, possibly more. But I've also wasted some extra money in silly stuff like food and extra coffee lol.
I think it's ok to splurge a little in times of abundance... but it has to stay within control. When I was younger, even earlier this year during the $2 SBD pump of the summer, I was worse about it. I guess it's something we learn as we go.
Yeah the sbd pump has been nice, I was more talking about how we go about living our lives outside of crypto. Ill admit I splurge, probably too often, which im trying to change. I have the money, but it is more about me being able to save that money for the future and still be fine.
More is less and less is more. I would tend to agree with you, most people are killing themselves with excess. The problem is, we are not encouraged to learn self-discipline. Safe spaces, fast food, self worth view through the lens of social media popularity. Shall I continue... or shall I show some self-restraint. We live an age that is spoilt.
Self-discipline usually is learnt and arrived at out of need, when we experience duress or a lack, forcing us into more of mindful "survival" mode.
Mindfulness is the key to self-discipline, not punishment, and not some via the reward route either. This great video from Psychiatrist Judson Brewer shows how mindfulness can be applied to our most difficult issues of lack of self control, addiction.
I agree and while we have an abundance of choices, I think that boredom has also sky rocketed. It sounds counter intuitive, and depends on the person, but that is my observation. People do not have to work as hard for the abundant amount of choices in their lives and so they are not as rewarding as they once were. And like you said, Self discipline is huge at this time to keep anyone on the path they want. It's to easy to become scattered with all of the different options available.
Most people are spoilt for choices, hence the boredom. It is challenges that make people feel alive. Just ask any extreme sports freak. =)
A burger does give you happiness for 30 minutes.
Until guilt sets in...
...and 3 days later fat sets in...
...and then you become unhappy...
...then you need to buy another burger. Sigh.
Its a viscous cycle sadly :(
yes i and its big thing that we understand it and act on it i agree fully on it @calaber24p that
We have to reject societal norms of taking the convenient and easy way out, even just to train ourselves. We need to hopefully become the best us we can be because if we dont, our overindulgence and lack of self control might kill us.
Hi Calaber24p, I love your post. The thought that self control is harder to achieve in abundance never crossed my philosophical mind before. :)
But it's logical, even ancient Roman and Greek aristocrats who lived in extreme abundance for their time pretty much led lives without any self control and full of various excessive... excessive... well, excessive everything. :)
This is a lovely write up and totally true too. Self control is vital in every walk of life. This is really a timely reminder for me. Thank you very much for this.
As a doctor, this is exactly what I say to my patient. None of us has enough self control, and overindulgence is definitely big problem.
Great post :)
Right, and a good way to do this is to do it together. Join or start a group to do this. As a species we've almost always done things this way.
Great observation. I often think about how we have a society now that encourages impulsive behaviour rather than self-control. Marketing and advertising is always encouraging you to leap on the next thing that could bring you some satisfaction. This article contains a good message.