Yet we’re still programmed to think and act as if we don’t have enough. As if we’re still in those ancient times of scarcity. That three-pound bundle of nerves in our skull is always scanning the background, picking up and prioritizing scarcity cues and pushing us to consume more… Aren’t addiction, obesity, anxiety, chronic diseases, debt, environmental destruction, political dispute, war, and more all driven by our craving for…more?
— Michael Easter, from “Scarcity Brain: Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive” (Rodale Books, Sept 23, 2023)
Notes:
- Highly rated by Amazon readers and Goodreads. Amazon’s Pick for Book of the Month in October, 2023. An engaging book explaining the what and the why, but if you are seeking solutions to break addictions, cravings, etc, you won’t find them here. (I was left wanting! Where’s the chocolate ice cream!?!)
- Post Title & Inspiration: Aldous Huxley: “It’s dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them.
Not for me. But he has a point. When I got together with HH, one of his sayings was: tout se passe dans la tête (all is happening [and steered, initiated] in your mind… I, more simply, less brain-heavy, call it ‘wishful thinking, day dreaming’….
“(all is happening [and steered, initiated] in your mind” YES!
Collect as much as possible, they whine when you realize you’ve reached that point in life where you need to downsize! I will happen.
…then whine…
So true!
more will only pull you under water as you go
Truth
However, I don’t think your sugar addiction is driven by the need/want for more.
At least not the same want fir more that leads to wars and destruction.
Not War. Certainly not war.
Any thoughts of programming, crowd speech – anything that suggests AI – even if its of our own desire to offset the mundane, is disconcerting to me. For all the damage we do to ourselves, it’s preferable to pawning it off – just me..
Smiling…with you.
That photo is a perfect example of someone looking to be mistaken for a deer and be shot. You don’t do that! Putting the antlers on so you look like a game animal in hunting season. Dumb!
Laughing. True.
Dave
Can’t be too careful.
No!
Dave
Michael Easter’s probing POV, obviously has many in agreement. I’m not in agreement. Many people are grateful, content who don’t fall into the trap of keeping up with the Jones .One must ponder, what is enough and what is contentment. Perhaps, if a person has a depth of knowledge of inter-workings of the complexity of the impact of micro-biome, vitamin & mineral deficiencies, genetics, lack of education, direction, poverty, Abuse(s), poor nutrition, trauma of witness & environment, etc He might amend this part of his statement…”Aren’t addiction, obesity, anxiety, chronic diseases, debt”.