Last night I watched a TED talk by Mel Robbins, "How to stop screwing yourself over", and today I was reflecting on a book that I am writing. It features Fat-dumb-happy people.
It was classic TED, simple and mind blowing. My two takeaways were, you must be your own parent and force yourself to do the things you should be doing but don't want to do and "Fat, Dumb and Happy people" are simply comfortable. Yes I know, shock, profound. But I really made the connection that I have allowed myself to lecture my kids on work ethic while projects I have been "Starting" for years languish. I am comfortable, plain and simple.
America is comfortable, we don't do what we know we could or even should do, because we're comfy.
I see a future where most people just exist. Taking chances is unnecessary. 'No pain, no gain' is replaced by 'no pain no pain'. Exercise may soon be accomplished by a pill and that will thrill many including myself. Safety will be the norm and any risk will be shocking. Male contraception and Basic Guaranteed Income may eliminate extreme poverty and create a low income leisure class never before seen in history.
I'm not sure Mel's TED talk will sway many. My guess is that time with family, screens and no explicit needs will yield an ever increasing group of Fat-dumb and happy people, even if medicine makes us all fit and smart.
