Gen Z discards the hustle culture of millennials. They value balance and time. A lesson for all of us.
Image created by Gemini via Linkedin
Gen Z, defined by hyper-connectivity, is rejecting the "hustle culture"- a societal and corporate ideology that glamorises overworking, equating constant busyness with productivity and exhaustion with success. A culture that promotes sacrificing personal time, sleep, and well-being to achieve career goals, often resulting in burnout and diminishing returns, with some tragic consequences.
Now, instead of the falsehood of “hustle culture” Gen Z is fully embracing the art of doing nothing. Finding happiness in intentional idling, moments of stillness, silence, the joy of being in their own company, rediscovering who they are, giving up on ‘virtual friends’ by gaining true and real friendship, whilst all along discovering the simple pleasures of life, by freeing themselves from the chains of digital dependency.
I am happy to see this, something that I discovered myself years ago, namely, that, indeed, happiness is to do nothing!
Illustration is part of the Buddha Doodles series, created by Mollycules.
In a world that increasingly champions and glorifies busyness, productivity, consumerism and constant motion and activities, as the sure signs of ‘success’ and the right sort of ‘aspiration’, in a world that everything has been devalued and monetised, when we are told time is money, the thought of doing nothing often carries an undeserved stigma and negativity. This is a hugely consequential mistake and misunderstanding of the true nature of our humanity.
However, the good news is that, more and more, across cultures and peoples, young and not-so-young, are nurturing philosophies that celebrate stillness, intentional idleness, and the quiet joy and happiness of simply just being, and doing nothing. These ideas are not about laziness; far from it; rather, they reflect wisdom about balance, mental and physical well-being, and the deeper rhythms of life and living. They are all about what it means to be human.
Nota bene
Today, all across the globe, adolescents, young, middle age and the old, we are all in it together, living in the age of constant anxiety and unbearable pressure, leading to a deepening mental, physical, and emotional crisis.
But, why?
Welcome to the age of Digital Toxicity!
This “thought sheet”, harvesting the fruits of contemplation, is offered as a contribution to the public conversation about values and the shaping of the social ethos in which we live: Our moral and spiritual compass, if you will. The purpose is not to reject technology, progress, and evolution, it is not about throwing away our ‘smart’ phones and more.
It is an invitation to us all, to stop and think more deeply about what our relationship should be with social media and the digital world all around us, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
It is said that a glass of red wine, full of antioxidants and resveratrol- every so often- is good for us. But, surely, it will be a totally different story, with a totally different outcome, should we have a glass of red wine 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, lest we forget.
In short, my goal in this offering is to strengthen the experience of human solidarity, feeling and emotion, our sense of community and societal responsibility, in this troubled world today, by making available some of this combined wisdom and reflection that I have been so blessed to discover and witness, given my life journey and learned experiences.
Technology, Smartphones, Social Media and Us
Have we lost the art of knowing who, what, and why we are, to our ‘smart’ phones?
Will we lose all together, the art, pleasure and the joy of conversation, when we only converse with ourselves and our ‘smart’ phones?
Illustration: Edward Steed/The Guardian
Do Nothing, Achieve Everything. Here’s why we all need to slow down for a bit: A Young Person Perspective
What are the cool kids doing in NYC this summer? Ditching their phones.
Young people turn out in Thailand’s capital to spend an hour being ‘useless’ and be HAPPY
New York University’s IRL initiative
How Smartphones Are Killing Conversation
‘People who value time over money tend to be happier, according to multiple studies. A new research in the journal of Science Advances shows that this is particularly true as a person leaves college, facing weighty career choices while perhaps saddled with debt. Graduates who value time over money are more likely to pursue things they enjoy, including hobbies, social relationships, internships, and careers that provide intrinsic satisfaction rather than merely seeking compensation, the study suggests…’-Time or Money: Which one is the path to a happier life?
In this respect, the following words and sentiment by a young German executive rings so true: “Now it's all about Productivity, Pay, Performance and Profit- the four Ps- which is fuelled by the three Fs: Fear, Frustration and Failure. Just sometimes I wish that in the midst of these Ps (& Fs), there was some time left for another set of four Fs: Families, Friends, Festivals and Fun.”-Pursuing Common Values
The Art of Doing Nothing is when you will become empowered to Do Everything!
"The art of doing nothing-a simple pause that brings deep joy."-Photo and caption via Life Thought
'To do nothing at all is the most difficult thing in the world, the most difficult and the most intellectual.’- Oscar Wilde
'A generation that cannot endure boredom will be a generation of little men… of men in whom every vital impulse slowly withers, as though they were cut flowers in a vase.'- Bertrand Russell
'Going nowhere ... isn’t about turning your back on the world; it’s about stepping away now and then so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply.’- Pico Iyer
Some of the best gifts I've ever given myself
As long as I can remember, I have been saying for a long time that Happiness is to Do Nothing! I have also been saying that sometimes solitude—the moments of dialogue between me, myself and I—is fundamental to finding Happiness.
I have also been saying that happiness is to do no social media-ing!! Years and years ago, right at the early days of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others, I was saying that the so-called social media is brutal and anti-social. The hell with those who are brainwashing us, I used to say to whoever was interested, hurting and destroying our mental and physical health, making us lonely, miserable, depressed, or even suicidal, whilst in the process making billions and billions for themselves!!
Today, after decades of saying all these, I am a happy man, because I am seeing so many people, especially the young professionals, are now discovering the art of happiness by doing what I have been saying all these years:
The Art of Living a Happier life: Solitude
What is this ‘Modern World’ doing to us all?
Stop Pretending to be Busy. Be Clever, Be Kind to Yourself. Embrace the Dutch NIKSEN and Do Nothing!
In Praise of ‘Enoughness’ and 'Lagomist' Economy
The Healing Power of Living in the Slow Lane
Why a Simple Life Matters: The Path to peace and happiness lies in the simple things in life
UBUNTU: "I am because we are"
Why Doing Nothing is the Key to Happiness
Why 'doing nothing, intentionally' is good for us
Just One Thing - Digital Detox
In Praise of Idleness By Bertrand Russell
Go-Slow: Lessons to learn from Ants
The Secret of Success is Idleness: Less is More!
Journey to Healing: Let Me Know What is Essential
The 4 above photos via What is this life if…?