Modern lifestyle is negatively impacting society.

"Unlimited choice is paralyzing. The Internet has made this form of paralysis due to option overload, a standard feature of comfortable modern life" -Susan Orlean

An electric train is moving north at 100mph and a wind is blowing to the west at 10mph. Which way does the smoke blow?

Unconsciously, you just got the sudden urge to Google this answer, huh?

It’s a pretty simple question, really.

This, however, is a prime example of how inorganic consumption is leading to inorganic behaviors in humans.

The consumption of inorganic, or unnatural, lifestyle choices is causing an unnatural shift in behavior and mindset in individuals all around the world.

AKA, everyone’s getting lazy and attention span is decreasing rapidly.

New technology and the modern lifestyle of human society today is decreasing the neuroplasticity in humans.

Things are becoming “too easy” for everyone.

Gone are the days of remembering landmarks, following highway signs, and directions to get to your desired destination. That skill is gone, thanks to the easily accessible GPS found on your smartphone.

Have the urge to learn something new today? Have a burning question that needs to get answered right now? No problem, Google is right in your pocket, just ask them!

Get the point?

People have become utterly lazy to the point where basic skills, learning, and resilience are becoming extinct. It’s a serious problem and it’s all thanks to the modern lifestyle created in society today.

Now don’t get me wrong, technological advancement is very important for advancement in society, however, when simple tasks become too easy to the point where basic human skill is thrown out of the window, then that’s where the line is crossed.

The world has become soft. There I said it, and we all know it’s true.

There was a story from a wonderful Rich Roll podcast where guest, Tony Riddle, mentioned a story that he (and I, too) thought was ridiculous.

He mentioned that people around the world are starting to get, what he calls, “bungalow legs” due to people living on single-family floors and getting too lazy because of it.

People believe that walking up a flight of stairs has become “too much work”... HUH?

Didn’t we derive from a species of homo sapiens that would hunt and gather for food? Working on our hands and knees for days, just to build shelter?

Fast forward, and a flight of stairs has become your “workout for the day!”.

Or even better, grown adults huffing and puffing up the stairs in public because they’re cardiovascular health is so out of shape.

The world’s modern lifestyle has negatively impacted the minds of everyone, and there doesn’t seem to be a change in the near future.

But…

Why Should You Care?

The first and primary reason is for the sole fact that society today has become soft and lazy.

This can be attributed to the vast amount of technology accessible to someone at a given time.

Here are the 5 ways technology has made us lazy:

1. Delivery services on steroids

In the past, if we wanted to splurge for dinner, we’d get the occasional pizza, Chinese food, or whatever meal was nearest to us delivered to our door.

Or we would hop in the car, drive down the street, and pick up a few groceries to make grandma's special chop suey.

Delivery services and online shopping have evolved at such a rapid pace that realistically, we don’t leave our homes to “run errands” anymore.

We have access to dinner, groceries, clothing, laundry, and literally anything you can think of, at our fingertips and can get delivered directly to our doorstep.

2. Ridesharing

In the recent past, we didn’t have access to an app and services such as Lyft and Uber if we needed a ride.

It was either taking your own car, walking to the nearest public transport hub, calling a taxi, or riding your bike, everyone was accustomed to acquiring their transportation a different way.

We were not groomed to stay in one place and have a ride come to us whenever we wanted.

Unless, however, you were very wealthy and had your own driver, then big ups to you.

3. Influx of entertainment

At our very own fingertips, we have YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, HBOmax, Apple TV, Disney+, etc.

Thousands of hours of entertainment, so easily accessible that we’re not confined to one location for enjoyment anymore. No more movie theaters for new releases, or renting physical movies from Redbox.

You can just sit on your couch all day and whip out your iPhone, then you’re engulfed in entertainment for hours a day.

4. Social media

Does this one need any real explanation?

It appears that texting and social media has become the most common form of communication.

Even picking up a phone call has become a “hassle”... “Oh I’ll just let it ring so I can go back to TikTok”

*facepalm*

Also, voice memos have replaced two-way conversations. Just click the little microphone on the screen, say what you wanna say, and be on your way.

This is deteriorating basic human social skills.

People don’t even know how to speak to workers at a Chipotle anymore. Their social anxiety is so bad from hiding behind their screens all day that face-to-face interaction has become anxiety-inducing.

The world needs help.

5. Asking for directions

As stated previously, GPS in the form of an iPhone has taken over how we navigate the world.

Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze, it doesn’t matter. We no longer need to ask anyone for directions anymore. There’s no more pulling into a random gas station for directions, or reading paper maps anymore (a skill people should really have – ya know, just in case you end up on Survivor or something).

Siri and Google Assistant will come to your rescue now.

Along with the obvious advantages, modern technology in society is changing the way in which we access information.

For the first time in human history, the majority of people living in the developed world have access to almost all factual information in existence literally at their fingertips.

This unique situation also introduces the likelihood of the Internet ultimately replacing the need for certain human memory systems – for example, aspects of “semantic memory” (the memory of facts) – which are independent of other types of memory in the human brain.

This may be due to individuals using transactive memory for “cognitive offloading”, reducing their allocation of cognitive resources towards remembering information since they know this will be available for future reference externally.

In simple terms, people do not remember facts or skills anymore due to their subconscious knowing that their friend Google will always be by their side to “remember” the information they may need to use in the future.

Laziness. That’s what modern society has come to.

The technology is vast and extremely interesting. Helping many in need, improving their day-to-day lives.

However, there’s a line to be drawn between what is actually helping and what is detrimental to the overall well-being of mankind.

So How Can We Solve This?

There’s no definitive answer to how we can really “save mankind”, however, there are some things you can incorporate into your own lives to help the cause.

Not only this, but your own self will benefit as well.

1. Read more

Reading is one of the oldest activities in mankind. There’s a reason people love it.

Reading is not only a great way to improve attention span and remain in the present moment, but it also improves your memory as well.

Not only this but your knowledge and vocabulary expand with you.

I can’t seem to think of any negatives to reading except for finding the time to read the oh-so-many novels out there!

2. Embrace the uncomfortable

Enduring hard things in life is inevitable. How you go about those hard things is what separates you from average to the elite.

This adversity is probably my favorite thing to talk about in life and for good reason.

Without adversity, you’re nothing… Basically mush.

Adversity and the uncomfortable is where growth comes from.

Those tough conversations with loved ones, that speech in front of your peers, running those 5 miles in the morning, or even walking into the market and asking the clerk where the bread is.

Every “tough” circumstance in your life brings a newfound skill and understanding about something that’ll ultimately benefit you in the future.

That first mile you ran around the neighborhood led to your first marathon, that interaction with a stranger led to an unlocked social skill you didn’t have before.

Starting to get the point?

Do more hard stuff.

3. Be mindful

Staying present allows you to reduce your anxiety and constant worrying (due to phone usage, etc.).

Not only this, but it reduces the friction you may have when trying to achieve your lifes goals.

When your mind is caught up in a million different things at once, you get into a state of “perfection paralysis”.

This is where you simply can't start a project because you are so overwhelmed with several different things at once and are concerned that you won't get it exactly right.

To combat this, practice:

• Getting out in nature - Nature therapy, also called ecotherapy, is the practice of being in nature to boost growth and healing, especially mental health.
• Breathing techniques - Breathing techniques are used all the time to help combat anxiety and depressive episodes. An example is “Box Breathing”, Navy SEALS use box breathing to stay calm and improve their concentration in extremely tense situations.

The steps to box breathing are represented below:

Try reading my other article for more on staying in the present moment here!

4. PUT DOWN THE PHONE

The final tool I can suggest to you would be to merely use your phone less.

As we all know, your phone is the internet in the palm of your hand. This is leading to you relying on Google for information as opposed to actually learning the information.

Additionally, being on social media all day is killing your productivity and mental health.

Constantly scrolling through social media, comparing yourself to every influencer is not only destroying your mental health and confidence but wasting your time too.

Instead of completing that assignment, running your errands, and getting your stuff done, you’re being a consumer and scrolling through social media all day like a mindless zombie.

Be better.

In the end…

The modern lifestyle choices you choose to inherit in your life today will be the prophecy of your future.

Implementing healthy lifestyle choices and decisions into your daily living will help combat this unnatural being and ultimately lead you to a much more fulfilling and flourishing life.

***P.S. the answer to that first question → it’s an electric train… there will be no smoke.

TL;DR

1. The consumption of inorganic, or unnatural, lifestyle choices is causing an unnatural shift in behavior and mindset in individuals all around the world.
2. People are becoming lazy & this is negatively impacting society today
3. Implement healthier lifestyle choices to become less of a burden and more of an ascendancy to society.

Good luck and #KEEPPLUGGIN

🙇🏻‍♂️🌱 Until Next Time, C.