Plathon

Within a lifetime, we have seen a dramatic shift in how goods and experiences are available to us. Things that were scarce and precious became ubiquitous, and access became quite easy. Without a doubt, this shift from scarcity to abundance improved the quality of life in many respects, yet it also rewrote basic human behaviors and expectations.



Consider the humble orange: to people born in the early 20th century, this fruit was a rare treat given at Christmas, its rarity making it a delicacy. Jump to today, and we're not just seeing oranges, but cornucopias, ananas, and other fruits of every sort in our supermarkets throughout the year.



This is great, but at an ever greater cost to our potential for long-term effort and endurance. This is no more apparent than in the actions of those younger generations who have experienced very little else.

Take, for example, millennials' workplace expectations. Many join the workforce with an expectation of quick promotions and professional development. The concept of "paying dues" or waiting to work one's way up within a company is usually not relatable and seems pointless. This impatience with success parallels instant access they have been having in other aspects of their lives.



Similarly, the way in which we amuse ourselves has changed. "Zapping" (browsing through channels or skipping songs in playlists)has become very normal. It's a phenomenon only furthered by streaming services, that provide us with an unlimited choice of whatever we may want at anytime. We have little patience for whatever does not amuse us instantly. This then extends to reading: most would rather read small snippets of content than longer articles or books.



These are trends that point to a greater problem: the dissolving of our capacity for sustained effort. The power of concentration, of perseverance, of working hard for long stretches of time toward a goal, is a defining characteristic of humankind. It's what has driven our greatest deeds and discoveries. Yet, in a world where all is at our fingertips, this essential skill is in jeopardy.



Perhaps the ease of access is taking away our drive to make an effort. Where scarcity required ingenuity and grit, people came out resilient; they solved problems. Now, with solutions at their fingertips, people may be losing that drive to surmount challenges on their own.



This is not to vilify technological progress or the comforts of modern life. Instead, it is a call to consciously foster those qualities that are taught us by scarcity: patience, concentration, and hard work towards our goals. In a world of unlimited access, what might be the most important thing we can develop in ourselves is the ability to enjoy the process, find fulfillment in the effort, and appreciate accomplishment.




This model, based on unlimited access to everything and instant gratification, is also very costly in environmental terms. The permanent availability of fruits outside their season, fashion, and the most recent models of electronic gadgets are often made possible by practices that are unsustainable and put considerable stress on the resources of our planet.



The challenge ahead is two-pronged: we have to realign not just our expectations from the self, but also reconnect and re-evaluate our systems in the society towards sustainability. This would require revisiting some of the values forced by scarcity-conscious consumption, gratitude for what one has, and investing time and effort in creating long-lasting, sustainable solutions.

It means directing our human potential to make an effort and be creative, devising systems that meet our current needs but do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet theirs. This may include relearning patience to wait for seasonal fruits and vegetables, redeveloping the satisfaction of repair rather than replacement, and acquiring fulfillment from experiences and relationships rather than material abundance.

This endless availability of our desires’ satisfaction at our fingertips is slowly decaying our sense for effort, our ability to wait and project ourselves towards an expectation. At this core, it endangers one of the main features that make us humans: the ability and aspiration to perfect ourselves, to surpass and sublimate ourselves in the constant effort to be today better than yesterday, with tomorrow in sight.

Our epoch experiences an increasing need to be that the accumulation of having cannot satisfy. As we navigate this age of abundance, we must strive to keep the mindfulness and resilience fostered by an awareness of limits. We can enjoy the fruits of progress while also preserving and strengthening our capacity for sustained effort. By doing so, we ensure that we don't lose touch with one of the most fundamental and valuable aspects of our humanity: the willingness to become more than we are.

Romain Leroy-Castillo