> What she usually wants to say is: your life sucks, fix it and you will feel better. Go out for a walk, eat healthier food, make some supportive friends, engage in some self-care, meditate, etc.
It’s almost like we haven’t collectively created a society that aims to increase human flourishing and instead of created a living nightmare with the illusion of progress due to shiny new technologies.
This, so much this. My family often jokes about how I'm the health and fitness "freak", because I care about my wellbeing and stress levels. However, this is very normal in my social circle - and I would argue - in my class and generation. A few examples come to mind:
- The rise of social/fitness loci. Young people socialize through sports, cycling groups, climbing gyms.
- The advent of data-driven fitness. So many people have wearables, sleep trackers, follow the science behind health (Huberman podcast, Rhonda Patrick, etc.).
- More people are opting for healthier living, generally (regular bedtimes, stopping or greatly limiting drinking, removing stigma from mental health diagnoses).
It feels like this generation is the first to really prioritize physical wellbeing as a primary driver of overall quality of life. I sincerely hope this trend sticks, and we look back 20 years from now and are surprised that so many people for so long neglected the fundamentals of health.
It’s almost like we haven’t collectively created a society that aims to increase human flourishing and instead of created a living nightmare with the illusion of progress due to shiny new technologies.