Sometimes I am astounded when I think of the progress of the last several centuries. The discoveries we have made through science and advancements that followed make it nearly impossible to imagine what life was like before our current age. Consider that I am currently drinking a cup of coffee from Columbia, eating an apple from Chile and strawberries from California, with a kitchen full of many other fresh foods commonly available in our local grocery store. These foods are kept fresh in my home in a refrigerator, with a freezer that creates ice cubes automatically. There are devices that cook my food slowly, quickly, or at ludicrous speed depending on my patience and hunger. If the weather outside my home is too hot or cold, I can come in to a comfortable controlled environment thanks to my personal space heating or cooling unit. When night falls I simply flip a switch to have light wherever I want. Worldwide events are easily accessible to me either through satellite signals from space to my television or fiber optic cables bringing the world wide web to my computer. My daily routine includes a journey of more than 30 miles round trip, which I make in a personal automobile. During the drive, I can connect my mp3 player to the stereo and have my favorite artists play my favorite songs in whatever order I choose. If I want to talk with family and friends across the country or around the world, I can call, text, chat, email, Skype, Facebook, etc. to communicate with them at any time. Or if I want to visit them, I can climb into a winged metal tube and be there in mere hours. In the context of human history, how ridiculous is this? Kings and rulers throughout history have not had any of the conveniences we take for granted. Even today, most people today exist without many of the luxuries that are part of our every day lives. (And I haven't even touched indoor plumbing, sewers, roads, restaurants, schools, access to medical care, recreation, etc. The list could quickly become overwhelming.)In my observation this creates a lens that views life as an exercise in comfort and indulgence. Left unchecked, it can lead to a sense of entitlement and a feeling that life should generally go the way we like, when we expect it to. There are two things about this lens that concern me. First, I could argue that the abundance of our conveniences cause us to be generally dissatisfied when things don't go as we would hope. The better life gets, the easier it is for us to be disappointed. (For an interesting examination of this subject, read The Progress Paradox by Gregg Easterbrook.) Second, the speed and convenience we are used to causes us to be impatient for new technology. In many cases, people turn to credit cards, car loans or other debt to buy things they can't afford in the pursuit of having the latest greatest new gadget. (Consider than in the midst of the worst economy in more than 30 years, Apple stores had lines of hundreds or thousands to buy their new iPad this spring.) According to MarketWatch, 8 of 10 people are now living paycheck to paycheck. When people live with debt they will almost always pay more than if they live on cash, causing unnecessary financial stress.
So how do we recognize this lens and combat the adverse effects it creates? Personally I try to start with a grateful attitude for what I do have, rather than focusing on what I do not. I also find value in giving my time to help people in worse situations than mine, whether that is trips to Haiti, a retirement home, or a soup kitchen.
I would love your thoughts on this. Am I way off base here? How do you see this lens?
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