And still you ask for more...
If you believe in biological evolution, then you probably know that survival is a priority over happiness for any species. And that most definitely includes the human species.
I was reading about this recently in Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari.
We are not built to stay happy. In order for our ancestors to survive, the human body evolved the ability to intentionally flush out the chemicals that cause feelings of happiness and fulfilment.
I’m sure it was a satisfying feeling to secure a meal for the tribe. It likely created a sense of happiness for many, but this biochemical experience of happiness needed to be fleeting and temporary. Otherwise our ancestors would hunt once and never feel a need to seek out another meal.
They needed to stay hungry and focus on what’s next.
This fleeting sense of happiness was essential to our survival as a species. This trait would become ingrained into many generations of humans to come.
We needed this trait to survive, but when this ancient human trait gets activated in modern times it can feel messy and exhausting. Mostly because for most of us our survival is no longer in question.
Here’s how it can look in modern times…
I really want a new camera. →
I work hard and secure a new camera and feel happy. →
My body flushes out the happy chemicals. →
I feel a deep longing for a better camera. →
Repeat.
Replace “camera” with job, house, partner, books, etc.
Our biology is not set up for consistent happiness.
Our biology is set up to encourage us to continually want more.
This is not because the world is a bad place or that humans are inherently greedy. It’s because nature, evolution, the Universe, God—whatever you want to call the intelligent designer that created humans—cared about us and wanted us to survive.
The privilege of our generation is to have awareness of these biochemical traits and to find ways to work them in to our current lives.
That goal you want so badly? It will make you happy. But only for a very short moment. Then your body and mind will lovingly flush out the happy chemicals so that you may want something more.
So here’s a question for you to consider:
How would your life change if you knew that soon after achieving any goal, your body would let the happiness go and give you a fresh start?
