How Do We Live With Abundance?
More and more we are confronting abundance, not scarcity.
Navigating the Age of Abundance
It's 5:30 AM, and my daughter's voice pierces through the early morning silence: "Can I watch a show?"
I roll over, barely awake, and mumble, "Not for an hour." But she's persistent, and this dance continues every few minutes until I finally relent.
In the meantime, she immerses herself in a world of toys, books, and imagination. Our house is filled with stuff, and she puts it all to good use, creating magical realms of unicorns, fairies, and talking animals.
It's lovely. It's also a stark reminder of the world of abundance we live in.
The Evolution of Abundance
My grandparents' world was defined by scarcity. I have a cherished photo of them on their honeymoon in Duluth, Minnesota, during the Great Depression. They look dapper and carefree, a rare moment of indulgence in lives marked by hardship on the family farm. My grandpa died young from polio, leaving my grandma to raise a brood of kids alone, working tirelessly to make ends meet.
Fast forward to my wife and I, quintessential millennials. We've had more brunch dates than I can count. We enjoy time-freedom and resources my grandparents couldn't have imagined. We're educated, well-traveled, and mobile. We have a cleaning service and gym memberships. Not only do we have two cars in our driveway, but one of them is electric!
I came from my grandparents, but I live in a different world. My kids live in a different one yet.
The Challenge of Our Time
Here's my hypothesis:
The next hundred years will be defined by how we respond to abundance, not scarcity.
Most people believe the world is getting worse. I disagree. Yes, there are still devastating events and challenges, but overall, the trajectory is positive. Let's look at some data:
Extreme Poverty: In the early 19th century, 75% of the world lived in extreme poverty. Now, it's less than 10%1.
Global Middle Class: According to The Visual Capitalist, since 2003, the middle class has been growing rapidly, especially in Asia. By 2030, another 700 million people are expected to join the global middle class, making it more than half of the world's total population.
Women’s Education: Outside of Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the Middle East, the world has achieved near-universal primary education and gender parity for girls and boys2. For tertiary education, girls’ enrollment outweighs boys.
Technology: That tiny phone in your pocket is a supercomputer compared to your 90s-era PC. And largely due to that tiny device, we receive as much sensory stimulation in one day as our ancestors experienced in their entire lives3.
Energy: Remember the peak oil fears? Now, we're awash in energy, with renewable sources growing rapidly.
Food Production: Despite centuries of Malthusian predictions, we produce more than enough food to feed our growing population (though distribution remains a challenge).
The Paradox of Choice
In a world of limitless options, the only thing setting limits is ourselves. This is the core challenge of the next century: how do we manage abundance?
My daughter's persistent requests for "just one more show" are a microcosm of this larger issue. We have access to dozens of streaming services, each with endless content. There are no natural stopping points, no commercials, just an infinite scroll of entertainment.
As parents, we're trying to teach her to set her own limits in a world that increasingly has none. It's a skill she'll need throughout her life, whether it's managing screen time, social media use, or consumer choices. However, as you may presume or experience with your own kids or grandchildren, this is easier said than done.
Yet, it is one of the core challenges of our particular spot in history.
Learning to Thrive in Abundance
So how do we navigate this new world? Here are some thoughts:
Cultivate Mindfulness: In a world of constant stimulation, the ability to be present and aware becomes crucial. One of my favorite books on mindfulness is Jon Kabot-Zinn’s very approachable Wherever You Go There You Are.
Practice Intentional Limitation: There is power and freedom in restriction and setting limits. As Paulo Coelho said, “Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose—and commit myself to—what is best for me.”
Focus on Experiences Over Things: That thing you do, you know, in real life, or that experience you enjoy, once again, in real life, that’s going to be the thing you remember.
Develop Strong 'Whys’: Some will falter under the weight of endless options. I know have. What I’ve discovered is that intention and purpose must be at the heart of every action.
Embrace Real-World Connections: As digital abundance grows and becomes commoditized, real-life face-to-face interactions become increasingly precious and valuable.
Learn to Filter: Developing the ability to sift through the noise and focus on what truly matters is a crucial skill.
The Gift and the Challenge
As I watch my daughter navigate this new world, I can’t help but reflect on the broader implications for all of us. The options will only continue to expand, and abundance will manifest in ways that would have been unimaginable to my grandparents. (It often feels unimaginable to even me!)
Yet, in this world of plenty, we must confront a new challenge: embracing and teaching the value of limits in a limitless world. Of course, this goes beyond just screen time or what to order on Doordash tonight.
Increasingly, the only thing setting limits is you. My daughter will have to learn this just as we all do. She'll need to understand the 'why' behind not staying up late binge-watching shows or having her phone on all day. She'll need to learn the value of doing real things with real people, of creating rather than just consuming.
This is the paradox of our time: abundance is both a gift and one of the main challenges of our day. We're still learning how to live with it, how to harness it, and how to use it for good. It's a challenge that spans generations – from kids growing up with unlimited digital entertainment to retirees grappling with an abundance of free time.
This is our challenge and our opportunity. In this age of abundance, we have the chance to create lives of unprecedented richness – not just in terms of material wealth or entertainment but in meaning, purpose, and genuine human connection.
A few questions to consider:
What self-imposed limitations have enriched your life? Which ones might you consider adopting4?
What does 'enough' mean to you in an age where more is always available?
What's one area of abundance in your life that you'd like to approach differently, and why?
How do you balance the pursuit of new experiences with appreciating what you already have?
What's one area of your life where you feel overwhelmed by choice? How might you simplify it?
Roser, Max (2021) - “Extreme poverty: How far have we come, and how far do we still have to go?” Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/extreme-poverty-in-brief' [Online Resource]
World Bank. (n.d.). A tale of old and new gender gaps. Gender Data Portal. Retrieved October 14, 2024, from https://genderdata.worldbank.org/en/data-stories/a-tale-of-old-and-new-gender-gaps
Levitin, D. J. (2017). Information Overload: A Problem of the Ages. Frontiers for Young Minds, 5:23. https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2017.00023
For example, for me, not consuming alcohol has been one of the most important artificial restrictions I’ve put on my life.