By Luke Sumpter
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
The hedonic treadmill – or hedonic adaptation – are psychological terms used to describe the theory that humans have a base line emotional state that we all inevitably return to after events that cause us great happiness and personal gain or mass loss and sadness.
The consumer and capitalist ideals conditioned into and practiced by the majority of westerners is a prime example of this theory. Not a long period of time exists between obtaining a new sports car, a new job promotion or the latest smart phone until the insatiable desire for then next best thing is set into motion.
Let it be made clear that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the desire to strive, achieve and obtain. It is our birthright to pursue our passions and embody our dreams and ultimately to optimize ourselves. Yet there is a firm difference between achieving a goal and valuing the outcome in comparison to seeing an endeavor to completion to then disregarding the results in favor of continual and constant progression.
