I wonder if past generations have cared as much as we do about helping people feel better about their perceived failings? This essay fits snugly into a 2020s canon of NYT Best Sellers around "work less, enjoy more." My impression had been that previous generations principally aspired to get more done to advance their lot in life. If that's true, it will be interesting to assess later how long-term happiness compares between the "try harder do more" past generations and the "you're amazing why are you working so hard?" current one.
Cal Newport is the only contemporary personality I know of that advocates for getting more done, but his method still conforms to the zeitgeist, in that his "get more done" is more precisely "get more important stuff done by doing less overall."
Perhaps this is the natural evolution that occurs when a country has reached sufficient wealth where contributing gains to per capita GDP just ain't inspiring to a comfortable generation? It's interesting to try to contextualize the current popularity of anti-productivity literature vs what has come before it.
Cal Newport is the only contemporary personality I know of that advocates for getting more done, but his method still conforms to the zeitgeist, in that his "get more done" is more precisely "get more important stuff done by doing less overall."
Perhaps this is the natural evolution that occurs when a country has reached sufficient wealth where contributing gains to per capita GDP just ain't inspiring to a comfortable generation? It's interesting to try to contextualize the current popularity of anti-productivity literature vs what has come before it.