Is it human nature to be discontent?

[bathtub-row]

I think a lot of us think we’re striving for peace and harmony but I find myself wondering if it’s just our natures to be discontent in order to proceed to the next achievement, the next goal. For instance, think of the world, say 60 years ago. People would’ve kissed the ground to be able to click a mouse and calculate masses of data within seconds. Today, we complain if the mouse is too wide or it’s not wireless. Or just simple things like if a person is in a relationship, they want out. When they’re not in a relationship, they think they’re going to die without it.

 

So many seem to be oblivious to the wonders around us, the conveniences and amazing things that are done. I just often wonder what that’s about. What is it about our nature that can’t seem to appreciate, while still pushing the envelope.

[amaysngrace]

I believe the mood you’re in sets the tone for contentment and vice versa but don’t believe it goes as deep as your entire nature. It’s circumstantial.

[basil67]

I believe that being content with life is an active choice, brought about by the ability to count one's blessings.

[Beachead]

I think a lot of us think we’re striving for peace and harmony but I find myself wondering if it’s just our natures to be discontent in order to proceed to the next achievement, the next goal. For instance, think of the world, say 60 years ago. People would’ve kissed the ground to be able to click a mouse and calculate masses of data within seconds. Today, we complain if the mouse is too wide or it’s not wireless. Or just simple things like if a person is in a relationship, they want out. When they’re not in a relationship, they think they’re going to die without it.

 

So many seem to be oblivious to the wonders around us, the conveniences and amazing things that are done. I just often wonder what that’s about. What is it about our nature that can’t seem to appreciate, while still pushing the envelope.

 

That my friend is a question I lack the wisdom or the perspective to answer accurately but one I wish to know as well. I am sorry I couldn't answer it but just wanted you to know I think about it as well.

[MetallicHue]

I think my contentness in life largely stems from my interactions with others. With that I think it’s a challenge to stay happy for me because I frequent let others down in my lifeI wish I had the ability to just go on my own value of myself. So maybe you’re right maybe just destined until achieving higher level of self awareness to be somewhat unhappy. But that’s just me.

[BaileyB]

I believe that being content with life is an active choice, brought about by the ability to count one's blessings.

 

Indeed, there are some who are always working toward the next job, the next relationship and are very content with their lives. Others manage to never find contentment despite their well paying jobs and/or loving relationships - they create conflict and find disappointment in everything.

 

To me, contentment is making the decision to bloom where you are planted, and having a spirit of gratitude.

[basil67]

I agree Bailey. I sometimes feel like my life is boring. And then I look at those around me who have exciting lives and realise that it often comes with drama. Or being exhausted. Then I look at my life and find a loving, respectful husband and two good kids, financial security, food on my table, roof over my head. And life is good.

[basil67]

Thinking more about this. And I'm at the risk of doing the rose coloured glasses nostaliga thing with my response. I think part of the problem is young people being told they can have and do anything they want with their future. So they set impossibly high standards and then experience discontent when it doesn't happen.

 

I see it a lot with younger people post about online dating. They meet many many people and still can't find a fit. It seems to me to be a huge case of grass being greener elsewhere. People are so greedy/desperate that they don't even take the time to date one person at a time. Dating has even become an activity (as opposed to describing the relationship between you and a person).

 

Compare it to when I was young (also before we were told we could have it all) where you'd date half a dozen people and end up marrying. I've read younger people describe it as us 'settling' with whoever came along. But we were just as much in love as people are today.

[bathtub-row]

That my friend is a question I lack the wisdom or the perspective to answer accurately but one I wish to know as well. I am sorry I couldn't answer it but just wanted you to know I think about it as well.

 

That’s good to know that others think about it. It’s a conundrum, no? While I’m all for mankind pushing the envelope in the ways that we do, it seems a lot of people forget to marvel at the things in front of us in the here and now. When I think about simple things - like where I’m going to have dinner on a Friday night, there’s no shortage of fantastic options. But some people argue about it, or go to restaurants and act like it’s the end of the world if the waiter slips up in some way. If I want to get away for a weekend, I can hop on a plane and go practically anywhere. The little phone I hold in my hand is nothing short of astounding. Then there’s relationships - seemingly the most complicated thing we deal with, and they cause us so much anxiety whether we’re in one or out of one or getting over one. It’s like people just can’t hit that mark of contentment. Maybe a lot of that has to do with expectations.

[Garcon1986]

Contentment from one perspective, is the peace of knowing you have what you want, and chasing life achievement rather than material goods. For me I came to the realization around 25, that I didn't want to buy material "bling" anymore - I wanted to buy experiences, and it was very freeing. I periodically have stopped, "smelled the roses", and appreciated everything that I had - and this reminded me that the super rich lawyers aren't that far away from me. I've achieved contentment through watching orca videos, and realizing that they have big families just like I do, and the young women of the family fish for granny who is ill - until she can nurse back to health, and the men of the family rough each other up just like a bunch of human tomboys. Even a grown woman who watched humans steal her son from her, for profit in SeaWorld - that mother orca still took the time to guide lost sailors back to shore. Most any other human would attack anybody who tried to steal their baby. That's the best example of inner peace I ever seen. From knowing their family - I have realized I have hobbies, talents, a stable job, and a mild mannered family, and this is pretty darn good compared to some of the unfortunate citizens of Loveshack.

 

On the other hand - other people achieve contentment through conflict and argument, the case in point being any politician or lawyer that you know. It's a very different world - these people feel like they are earning their pay through fighting, and not fighting would be too boring. Just different strokes for different blokes.

Edited January 15, 2019 by Garcon1986

[LuckyM]

It is part of human nature, I think to take all this for granted. Studies show that people are happy with a new toy, possession, vacation, thing, for a short period then the thrill wears off. Newness does not last long. Even the joy of a new child may last 1-2 years. A new marriage, couples may be joyous for a very limited time, surveys show.

 

Yeah, we complain that we can't use Word fast enough but then throughout time huge literature was written using feather pens and fountain pens.

[GorillaTheater]

I think a certain amount of discontent is necessary to make any progress. If you don't like your job, you obtain the necessary education and skills to get a better one. If you don't like your dating pool, you likewise improve yourself and aim higher. If you don't like your toaster, you work to design a build a better one.

 

 

Any progress we've made as a species stems from discontent with the status quo.

[bathtub-row]

I think a certain amount of discontent is necessary to make any progress. If you don't like your job, you obtain the necessary education and skills to get a better one. If you don't like your dating pool, you likewise improve yourself and aim higher. If you don't like your toaster, you work to design a build a better one.

 

 

Any progress we've made as a species stems from discontent with the status quo.

 

I totally get that and agree. At the same time, I think more people could stop and look around them and realize that they take too much for granted and never feel any happiness.

[Nilfiry]

Discontent is a necessary part of life. If you were not discontent, you would be dead because you would not know when you were hungry, cold, or sick.

 

Of course, I feel that your question is less about the needs of daily life and more about whether people intrinsically take things for granted, to which the answer is, "no."

 

You cannot take things for granted that you never had to begin with, and you are born into this world with nothing.

 

It is funny because I hear so many people talk about things that are human nature, but no one ever wants to talk about things that are human nurtured. This comes as no surprise, though, because it is easier for people to accept that they were just born a certain way, rather than that they are just a-holes because they chose to be that way.

[basil67]

I think a certain amount of discontent is necessary to make any progress. If you don't like your job, you obtain the necessary education and skills to get a better one. If you don't like your dating pool, you likewise improve yourself and aim higher. If you don't like your toaster, you work to design a build a better one.

 

 

Any progress we've made as a species stems from discontent with the status quo.

 

I don’t agree. I think that ambition and being discontent can be completely unrelated. A person can be discontent and not bother to do anything about it. Or a person can be content but want to push further just because they feel like doing something new or different

[thefooloftheyear]

One of the best things(and there aren't many "bests":( about growing up poor and with a lot of adversity, , is that you never seem to lose sight that the little things like heat, a stable roof over head, lots of fresh food in the fridge etc, really mean a lot....

 

Frankly I couldn't care less if my internet wasn't fast enough and still don't own a smart phone, not because I cant afford it, but because I really don't need it.. I am very content with the basics really...

 

I can't say my daughter will be the same...I worry sometimes about that...She has everything she has ever possibly wanted and never knew what it was like to do without..

 

I'm very fortunate for a lot of things and count my blessings daily and never take anything for granted....Ive seen and lived on the other side...its not pleasant...

 

TFY

[Eternal Sunshine]

The problem is, if it weren’t for people who wanted more out of life than having 2.4 kids and a roof over their head, there would never be any great advances that humanity is now experiencing. I do think that strong desire to change the world and being content are pretty mutually exclusive.

[chillii]

Yeah , know what you mean.

And sure it's sort of ok to be clicking a button , but you also lose so much from that too in a million ways.

But that very button means internet, media, info overload, google crap everywhere all telling everyone what they should be getting and deserve and getting into peoples heads and blah blah blah too is all just effg huge in what your saying for a start.

And l remember when it all started , evrything was about speed speed speed and how wonderful it was all gonna be bc now we can do this and do that in one click- which is actually about 50 clicks all up anyway by the time we buy all the crap and join all the effg sites and pay all the internet and again blah blah blah.

So all that is huge to and now that it's all supposedly that speed, the mentality it creates is to want even faster and bigger and better and l deserve more and again on and on it goes.

So with all that people lose more and more of what use to be just natural human senses too, notice that ?

It's everywhere, even right through this site,most sites.

Like here , you don't see anyone,feel, buttons and writing, you have no idea if it's even male or female, that's how many people live now, date sites , many probably wouldn't even get outside into some fresh air or nature or around real people anymore.

 

And then there's the money money and throw away mentality , even with humans, and the fast pace of everything these days.

Yet people are more stressed and less happier than ever in history from a lot of stuff l've seen and heard.

To me even 20yrs ago it was all very predictable. l've tried to keep my feet on the ground and smell the roses , but even being aware, it's still something you almost have to force yourself to do these days because everything else is pushing you in the other direction.

Edited January 20, 2019 by chillii

[basil67]

The problem is, if it weren’t for people who wanted more out of life than having 2.4 kids and a roof over their head, there would never be any great advances that humanity is now experiencing. I do think that strong desire to change the world and being content are pretty mutually exclusive.

 

Ah, but one could be perfectly content with their home, 2.4 kids and job. But the reason they are content with their job is because of the R&D involved.

 

Of course the same person may not be content with the lack of, say, an ovarian cancer cure and is working to create one, but this doesn't equate to a dissatisfaction with life (which is how I interpret the OP's question as relating to)