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We Need Scarcity to be Happy

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When I was a kid, the release of a new album from U2 or Elvis Costello was one of the biggest moments of the year. I was waiting for the store in our village even before it was open, just to buy it as soon as possible.

The moments I had the time and opportunity to listen to it were very valuable. It took me a few weeks to know every song by heart and to discover every detail of the lyrics and the cover design. I invested time and effort to make the album my own. It became a priceless piece of art for me.

Nowadays, I have Spotify which gives me access to any music I want any time I want.  What a luxury! I can collect albums with a single click. But I hardly invest time and effort in learning to know them.

Does it make me happier than what I was thirty years ago? No, it doesn’t. But on the contrary, things which are not scarce lose their value:

  • A music album is more valuable when you had to make an effort to get it.
  • Spare time is only valuable when you are busy.
  • Health is much more appreciated when you are ill.

We need scarcity to be happy.  As Mahatma Gandhi taught us already: “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment”. [...]

 

To read the whole post and interact, please visit the SogetiLabs blog: We Need Scarcity to be Happy

André Helderman
André Helderman
Lead business analyst
+31 88 660 6600

Recent articles

André Helderman
André Helderman
Lead business analyst
+31 88 660 6600

Click here to read André's whole profile.

Recent articles

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