Comfortable

Throughout most of human history, most humans have not been very comfortable most of the time.

Humans want to be comfortable. In fact, much progress is made in an attempt to make our lives more comfortable.

The child mortality rate is a good example. Less than a century ago, there were about a 140 deaths per 1000 live births in the United States; today, that number is under 10.

In The Decline of Deviance, Adam Mastroianni shares several other examples, from the decreasing incidence of violent crimes to cult formation over time. He notes that “our wierdness is waning”.

He says, “The decline of deviance is mainly a good thing. Our lives have gotten longer, safer, healthier, and richer. But the rise of mass prosperity and disappearance of everyday dangers has also made trivial risks seem terrifying. So as we tame every frontier of human life, we have to find a way to keep the good kinds of weirdness alive.”

In the movie Wall-E, a spaceship full of humans get so comfortable that they’ve forgotten how to live on Earth.

The question is: How can we be comfortable enough without becoming too comfortable?

I don’t want to put my life in danger. I don’t want to do stupid things that lead to bodily harm. But I also don’t want to avoid experiencing anything new during the rest of my days!

I feel most alive when I’m at the edge of my comfort zone. That’s when I feel like I’m growing.

I want to live in a world that encourages creative growth and experimentation. I want people to be less afraid of making mistakes.

I don’t want people to get too confortable!