It seems like no matter the period of time, the previous generations never fails to compare and complain about the current one and point out how kids these days are spoiled and irresponsible, with their statements usually starting with "Back in my days..."
Now, in most cases, this isn't really a problem because we humans are naturally like that. We reminisce about our past and the good ol' happy memories we made inside it and start to prioritize it over the present, which makes us feel like the past is superior than the present.
That's just the way we operate when we get older. Millennials as young as 20-25 years old claim to be more happy and satisfied with their lives when they were kids as compared to the present. But why though? Why do we hate the present so much?
That's because this time, it's a little different. You see, as the world progresses, technology and innovation has certainly helped us get rid of our old economical problems, but on the flip side, give us new psychological and spiritual ones.
What does this mean? Well, for starters, the worldwide poverty ratio is the lowest it has ever been, but the amount of people suffering from depression is sky high. We have super fast internet access and have the ability to communicate with people on the other side of the world, but we feel like no one really knows or understands us.
Why? Because of something I like to call, The 3D Problem.
Depression
As you can probably tell, things aren't exactly going the way we thought they would. Our problems are no longer about survival, but about finding meaning and value in living. Our problems are no longer about routine activities, but about wondering if we are good enough in the eyes of others.
Earlier, religion used to solve this problem for us. It made us feel welcomed and gave us a sense of meaning in our lives in the belief that we are serving God and it is the sole purpose of our human life. But as the older generation pass away and the newer one arrives, faith in God is seemingly decreasing.
Now here's the fun part: Even though we have separated ourselves from the need to believe in a God, we are now left with these strange questions about the very nature of our existence and the universe itself, giving us existential crisis, which gives more power to our depression.
Disconnection
If you're an introverted millennial, you probably prefer being alone and watching Netflix all day rather than going outside and trying to meet new people. Funny enough, you would rather sit home and watch videos on YouTube on how to make friends than actually trying to socialize.
This, is because though we're more digitally connected with people all around the world, we still have lower chances of having an active social circle of close friends, as compared to our parents and grandparents. This again, is because we simply don't need to.
Earlier, being a part of a community was necessary because people depended on each other to sustain life. Now, with all the technological development and automation, we don't need other people to stay alive which ultimately makes us more lonely.
Today, we have everything at our fingertips. We don't need to rely on communities to satisfy our never-ending short-term desires. We don't need to work in closed factories or farms together because a desk and a computer at home is enough for us to make money. One example being #Steemit itself.
Discontent
A few months ago, I wrote an article titled "Designed To Desire - Why Humans Beings Are Never Truly Content" and it focused mainly on how always wanting more might have been a survival strategy, but it worked out pretty horribly for us in the end.
We as humans have evolved ourselves in a way that we crave more for short-term desires than long-term goals, simply because short-term materialistic desires are easier to achieve and bring instant gratification.
And why do we do this? Because we are so damn depressed that the mere want to 'feel good' makes us desperate for more. We think that these highs are the only way we will get to find meaning in life and so we want more and more every time, which makes us forever desirous machines that are never truly satisfied and are practically insatiable.
But as I mentioned before in the linked article, the desire to always feel good, completely avoid hurtful feelings, and always want more, are ultimately the reasons for our misery and existential dissatisfaction.
Related articles:
- Why Small Talk Is Important When Meeting New People
- How Craving For Happiness Can Actually Make You Feel Sad
Continue reading:
- Strangers In The Sky - The Fermi Paradox, Space Travel, & The Future Of Mankind
- Real Talk #1 - My Fear Of Failing As A Writer (And Other Stuff)
- Why Foldable Smartphones Could Become The Next Big Thing
- How You Can Use Overthinking To Your Advantage
