It’s a dopamine versus serotonin issue. People think they want to be happy, but that longing is more for purpose. Eating ice cream can make you happy, but learning to cook your own meals makes you a more component being able to provide for yourself and those around you.

Most modern luxuries are basically Skinner boxes at this point monetized in some way to keep us staring at it or consuming it.

We doom scroll at the expense of relationship building.

We door dash instead of have community gardens.

Instant gratification isn’t always and intrinsically bad, but the more the default it becomes, the less patient and competent people become.

Then you pile on decades of American exceptionalism and actively encouraging selfishness at the expense of a functioning society and the present state of things is hardly surprising.

And my boss still says I’m one of the best on the team… 🤷🏼‍♂️

Most people fail to realize that reason and rationality are best case scenarios for hormonal meat beasts and very far from the default.