Chapter
The Dangers of Optimization Culture
33:03 - 48:40 (15:36)
As we become more obsessed with optimizing every aspect of our lives and saving time, we risk losing sight of what it truly means to be human and what we want to do with our lives. The self-help movement, which arose in response to a crisis of faith in traditional institutions, values personal authenticity and individual focus over considering the world beyond the self.
Clips
The danger of optimization culture is that we may lose sight of the deeper questions of what it means to be human and what we want to do with our lives as we keep seeking for more techniques to save up more time and optimize ourselves.
33:03 - 38:37 (05:33)
Summary
The danger of optimization culture is that we may lose sight of the deeper questions of what it means to be human and what we want to do with our lives as we keep seeking for more techniques to save up more time and optimize ourselves. This trend develops from the lost faith in the institutions that used to shape and give meaning to our lives, leading to the rise of the self-help and optimization movement over a more collective approach.
ChapterThe Dangers of Optimization Culture
Episode#033 - Carl Cederstrom - What Happens When You Dedicate A Year To Optimising Your Life & The Happiness Fantasy
PodcastModern Wisdom
Self-help books like Norman Vincent Peale's How to Win Friends and Influence People and Thinking Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill originated in the 1930s during the Great Depression when books on hope were needed, but in the 1970s, the trend became a new version of taking a trip for the soul and creating a bottomless world for oneself.
38:37 - 42:01 (03:24)
Summary
Self-help books like Norman Vincent Peale's How to Win Friends and Influence People and Thinking Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill originated in the 1930s during the Great Depression when books on hope were needed, but in the 1970s, the trend became a new version of taking a trip for the soul and creating a bottomless world for oneself.
ChapterThe Dangers of Optimization Culture
Episode#033 - Carl Cederstrom - What Happens When You Dedicate A Year To Optimising Your Life & The Happiness Fantasy
PodcastModern Wisdom
The concept of happiness in the 20th century was that humans were not designed to achieve or handle it, and true happiness could only be enjoyed by the gods.
42:02 - 48:40 (06:37)
Summary
The concept of happiness in the 20th century was that humans were not designed to achieve or handle it, and true happiness could only be enjoyed by the gods. Wilhelm Reich, a young psychoanalyst, made a significant impression on Sigmund Freud with his beliefs regarding happiness in the 1920s.