The lost art of patience

The urge for success, money, and fame has always been a fundamental part of humankind as long as history takes us. Architecture, culture, language, art, technology, and so on, have all been a product of wanting more. Wanting more wealth and more satisfaction, which in a sense have been moving us forward. Our world would…

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Klara Gaskell-Brown

The urge for success, money, and fame has always been a fundamental part of humankind as long as history takes us. Architecture, culture, language, art, technology, and so on, have all been a product of wanting more. Wanting more wealth and more satisfaction, which in a sense have been moving us forward. Our world would most likely not be as we know it today if we only did settle for what we have. However, this has in our modern day society resulted in a phenomenon known as instant gratification, where we seek immediate benefit. In many ways, instant gratification has overruled patience and shows no signs of slowing down.

I believe that human behavior hasn’t changed that much during history. Values and perceptions are different in many aspects, of course. But the appetite for satisfaction is more or less the same. What differs today’s society compared to our ancestors, is that we don’t have to wait for the satisfaction of fulfillment. Efficiency in production in combination with high technology makes it possible for big parts of the world to get almost everything they want within a very short amount of time. We have an endless supply of music, movies, clothes, food, social media, and other types of entertainment and interaction that stimulate our bodies and minds. Great, right?

Well, the problem is that nothing is ever enough when you always want more. We have gotten so used to instant gratification that it almost is impossible for us to have patience. Without patience, the beauty of the process is lost. I think it’s important to appreciate the process, the experience, no matter if it comes to culture, relationships, learning, or materialism. Everything moves at its own pace and stressing it could cause you to miss out on important lessons, and valuable moments. It could also be the source of frustration and worry. Results and fulfillment of other kinds do not always happen immediately, and being content with that could give you more satisfaction than any short-term stimuli could.

With that being said, you might think that I have an answer on how to master the art of patience. I don’t, but I can say this. It’s important to see things from a wider perspective, slow down and reflect. Allow yourself to be bored, let things take time. If you are still reading this article, I would say that you are on the right path.

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Founded in 1948, Nådiga Lundtan has since been an important part of student life in at Lund School of Economics and Management at Lund University. The magazine covers a wide range of topics related to economics, society, and politics, as well as careers, entrepreneurship, and innovation. It is a platform for students to share their ideas and opinions on economics and related fields.

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