Instant Gratification

We live in society that values instant gratification, almost to the exclusion of all else. I can't tell you how many of my friends gripe and groan about their body-images, and yet, they don't go to the gym, change their diets or their lifestyles for longer than a few weeks at a time, citing failed results.

Anything worth doing is worth the time invested. If we don't invest the time to get it done right, the return will be exactly what you put into it... nothing.

The advent of the internet means that we can "search" for bit of information, however obscure, or that product that we believe is out there - with near-instant results. If we can't find it in just a few moments, then we stop searching, believing that it's just not out there.

Instant entertainment. We sit on our sofas and "surf" through television shows searching for that instant fix. And when we don't find it, what do we do?

Throw the remote and declare, "There's nothing on right now."

Seriously?

You have 150+ channels and you can't find anything interesting, educational or even purely fluff entertainment? Come on...

Porn... why watch the whole video when you can just skip to the "cum-shots" at the end of each scene. You can even string ALL of the "money-shots" in the film together so that you get nothing else.

Wow...

I myself fall into yet another "I-G" category... Instant Messaging-Instant Gratification.

You know - when you send your friend an IM or an SMS and when they don't respond instantly, you think that there's something wrong, or that they're mad at you.

Instant gratification, and when we don't get it, it's instant disappointment/frustration/pissed-off to the highest of pissitivity.

My solution, for me. I'm slowing down and taking time to do something worthwhile. I'm not going to check my phone for SMS's every 30seconds, waiting to hear back from you any more. If you respond, fine. If not, I'll get over it.

And if I don't respond to you quickly, it's probably because I'm surfing wikipedia, learning something new. Or I've decided to take a walk, read a book or finally finish that scarf I've been knitting for the last 6 months.

Comments

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