I read a thought-provoking passage from “Reasons to Stay Alive” by Matt Haig this morning and felt it was worth sharing.
Our world seems more and more designed to bring us down. Happiness isn’t great for the economy. Think about it: if we were content with what we have, why would we want more? For instance, how do you sell anti-aging moisturizer? You make people anxious about getting older. How do you get votes for a political party? By making people worry about immigration. How do you sell insurance? By creating a fear of the unknown. How do you encourage plastic surgery? By focusing on people’s insecurities. How do you get viewers for a TV show? By making them afraid of missing out. And how do you push the latest smartphone? By making people feel outdated without it.
Being calm has become a kind of revolutionary act. Embracing our unenhanced, imperfect selves is not good for business.
It’s so true.