JW: Humans are impossible to please ... hoping for a life full of good problems

I don't know if this has any bearing on your current challenge; however, it showed up while writing a post for tomorrow so thought I'd share it.

However, when I started trying to nail down a definition for what “living paradoxically” means, I found a self-styled psychology nerd who likens it to finding contentment in a paradoxical world. Mark Manson, author of the best-seller shown above (one I have long shunned simply because of the title) asks:

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Is it possible to be content with our lives?”

And answers: “The answer is yes, we can be content. But it’s not simple. To understand why we seem to be constantly dissatisfied with ourselves and the world, we must understand some basic psychological principles, as well as, of all things… thermostats.

On his website, he explains: “In life, you often find yourself in no-win situations. You tell yourself that you need to be more social. But then you go out to events and spend the whole time wishing you could be at home. You celebrate the glory of Thanksgiving by eating thirteen slices of pizza… and then proceed to spend the next two days hating yourself for eating thirteen slices of pizza. When you are single, you dream about meeting somebody special. But then, once you find yourself in a relationship, you daydream about being single.

Humans suck. We are impossible to please. We have so many conflicting needs and desires, it’s a marvel that we can even wipe the correct ass.

I’ve long written about how humans evolved to be constantly dissatisfied in some way. I’ve written about how, in life, it’s impossible to escape suffering. In fact, in one of the most popular sections of my book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Disappointment Panda says: “Life is essentially an endless series of problems—the solution to one problem is merely the creation of the next. Don’t hope for a life without problems. Hope for a life full of good problems.” 

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The thermostat part comes later.