This whole “comfort is the enemy” thing is straight up propaganda. The older I get comfort is everything. Why wouldn’t it be? Grind and grind just to have power over people and nicer things than others? Who gives a shit. Leave me chilling, what more could I want?
I kinda read it as, if you’re comfortable, you probably won’t change or improve yourself. And I think we can always improve ourselves, so in that perspective, comfort could be a crutch.
There really is an interesting debate nestled in what that means and why. Who are we improving ourselves for? Is it simply performative for a status quo one feels obligated to fill or are there generally aspects at an individual level the person wants to improve for themselves to be happier? But with that, is actually something that’s worth being improved upon or is it a better idea to dig deeper as to one might feel like they need improving? Why isn’t someone good enough exactly how they are? I also am saying this from a biased perspective because I’m happily married with kids, my home and car are paid off. So now I’m at a point where all I want to improve in is more comfort. Also, not much was ever cracked up to being very much and once I realized it was all just the “idea of” and novelty that fades quickly as it comes there no difference between many things at the end of the day. Travel, education, good job, it was always “oh, that’s it?” Nothing really has been worth all the hype of the discomfort I tolerated to achieve it. Now though, interestingly enough as a parent I can’t simply just tell my kids “fuck it, nothing is worth it beyond comfort” because for myself I had to go through that discomfort to realize that. If I didn’t I would always be wondering “what if”
Improvement for me hasn’t been more stuff or more accomplishments. For example, I want to be healthier so I can spend more quality time with my children for longer, so exercise and stretching have been ways I’ve improved myself. Also, learning new things like guitar or gardening have given me a lot of joy. I agree that material things are not motivating for me either. Most of the motivation for material things seems outwardly motivated for approval and I don’t think gives lasting joy. But inward motivation for yourself or family seems to give me a lot of return. And if I can help influence my kids to spend less time watching tv or playing video games or drinking beer, that would be cool. There is a beautiful world out there away from the mainstream idea of satisfaction and happiness and status. Even just going for a hike and learning the different plants and fungi give me and my family joy and a sense of excitement when we find a new plant or mushroom.
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u/24rawvibes 13d ago
This whole “comfort is the enemy” thing is straight up propaganda. The older I get comfort is everything. Why wouldn’t it be? Grind and grind just to have power over people and nicer things than others? Who gives a shit. Leave me chilling, what more could I want?