Discomforting comfort

'We live in a culture that worships comfort. During this century we have seen the greatest assault on discomfort in the history of human race. We have learned to control our environment with central heating and air conditioning. We have reduced drudgery with machines and computers. And we have learned to control pain, depression and stress. We even provide electronic antidotes to boredom with television and video games. Most of this is to the good, but unfortunately it has created an impression that the purpose of life is to attain a blissful state of nirvana, a total absence of struggle or strain. The emphasis is on consuming not producing; on short term hedonism rather than long term satisfaction. We seek immediate gratification of our desires, with no penalties' - Edwin C. Bliss (Scribners)

Was thinking of the nihilists and whiners around me as I read this quote. Perhaps, there are things in life worth striving for, things worthy of our precious time and attention.

Perhaps life isn't as bad as imagined, perhaps there's no need to complain over every minor injustice and compare project loads and deadlines and career prospects.

Perhaps, we think that life is meaningless because it is too comfortable or because we grow lazy from the omnipresent comfort. Really, really, I believe and shall continue to believe that there is more to life than what there is now.

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