The Modern Struggle Is Weaponized Addiction

Before, you had to go socialize with friends; now, you can just get drunk with a bunch of strangers. Before, you had to go find a mate, create children and raise a family; now, you can just watch a lot of porn. Before, you had to hunt and climb trees to get fruit for a little bit of natural sweetness; now, you can buy all the gelato you want.

The modern struggle is really about individuals—disconnected from their tribe, religion, and cultural networks—who are trying to stand up to all these addictions that have been weaponized: alcohol, drugs, pornography, processed foods, news media, Internet, social media and video games.

Now that we’re in an age of abundance, we can easily fall into addiction if we pursue pleasure for its own sake.

In an age of abundance, pursuing pleasure for its own sake creates addiction.

On some very deep level, all pleasure creates its own offsetting pain and fear of loss.