Satisfied?

Despite mind-numbing technology, a boundless ability to reason, and an overabundance of everything, most people never achieve what your average field mouse enjoys on a near-daily basis - a sense that they are alright with the world.

Why is peace of mind so elusive?

At any time previous, such a question would have been easy to answer. How could people feel satisfied when life was so brutal and brief, disease and tragedy omnipresent, and the threat of war all-too-imminent?

But these are not the issues most of us are struggling with today. So what gives?

No matter how big a problem you have in your life, it nevertheless represents less than 0.00001% of your total functionality.

Our lives are a vast combination of highly complex systems, all of which have to perform flawlessly and in concert with each other, just to breathe.

Two hundred years ago a doctor could know everything that was known in medicine. Today, it is not possible for a single doctor to know all there is to know about any single organ.

The advancements of modern medicine have been impressive, but what science has ultimately revealed is how incredibly sophisticated human biology is.

Compared to human biology, even the most complex of man-made machines are rudimentary and primitive.

When something breaks in your car, the failure represents around 1% of the entire vehicle. I have a student who is a NASA rocket scientist, he told me that even NASA assumes a failure rate of 1 in 50.

If we experienced such levels of failure in our bodies, we would be long-gone-dead.

When we consider the myriad of natural systems that all must function properly, like the constant heat from the sun and the moon’s gravitational pull. Plus the ozone layer and gravitational fields, to name but a few.

Plus add to that the immense complexity of world economics. Farms, factories, and global supply chains that have to perform correctly so that we can earn a living and be supplied with all our needs.

All this reveals a staggering level of complexity and sophistication, so much so, that whatever it is that you think is not working in your life, it is nevertheless less than 0.00001% of what is working!

If all of this fails to assuage your negative feelings or bring you any closer to peace of mind, then you are not alone! In fact, ALL the philosophies of life grapple with this dilemma and as such, fall into three main categories:

If we are so close to 100% perfect, then it must be imminently possible to get to a place where nothing ever goes wrong.

This is the underlying philosophy of the Western world.

It is the motive behind all of science; to figure out how to have a life that never breaks down. Energy, medicine, technology, economics, etc. It’s all about building a flawless existence. Each and every discipline is focused on a particular fault in functionality, and are tasked with filling that hole and making life perfect.

This plays out on a personal level too; people think that if they eat right or have enough money, then they can have a life where nothing goes wrong.

Ever.

The sad truth is that this group is the most frustrated of all. Because no matter how advanced, sophisticated or well designed anything gets, it nevertheless breaks down.

Among cell phone users, the group with the highest satisfaction rates are those who buy pre-paid phones. Even though these phones have the least features, nevertheless the people who use them are the most satisfied.

The reason is that their expectations are so low that they are pleasantly surprised.

Cell phone manufacturers have painted themselves into a corner. Each year they come out with what is supposed to be a better phone, but it never works as advertised. So, customers are perpetually disappointed.

I upgraded my phone a while ago and inquired about a buyback option for my old device. The store assistant took my phone, entered its model into their system, and gave me a quote.

I can’t recall the exact figure, but it was less than $10.

Surprised, I responded, “This phone has more computing power than the entire Allied forces possessed during World War II, and that’s all you’re offering?”

He smiled, and nodded.

No one is unhappy with such advanced technology. Rather, what they are experiencing is disappointment. They were expecting something better.

If we could poll the greatest non-Jewish philosophers from before the 20th century about what humanity needed for happiness, all of them would point to five things:

1. An end to war
2. Eradication of pestilence
3. Elimination of famine
4. Adequate shelter
5. Heating

They would not even have mentioned indoor plumbing, but that’s really nice too.

These have been the greatest problems that have plagued humanity throughout its history.

Yet, incredibly, not one of those issues will be on the nightly news.

We call the tragedies of today by that same term, but any student of history will tell you that they are only a shadow of their former evils.

What is on the news are other so-called disasters. And humanity is convinced that once these are resolved then we will enter the period of existential happiness.

Except we won’t.

All that will happen is another set of problems.

And it is for this reason that this group is the most frustrated. No matter what they do, they can’t get to the peace they so desire.

Not on a global level; nor on a personal one.

The only difference between this and the previous group, is that this one gives up.

They, too, thought they would be free of problems once they graduated, got a job, made a lot of money or overcame some other arbitrary obstacle.

And when that did not happen, instead of picking another goal, they just gave up.

A considerable portion of the homeless population understands this reality. They get it. If problems are inevitable, they reason, it might as well be which park bench to sleep on.

This is no different to those who liquidate their assets and move into a retirement community. They’ve come to realize that no matter what their efforts, perfection – that elusive 100% - remains unattainable.

So, they too, gave up.

It is not possible for a system to have such a remarkably low failure rate - unless it is purposely and consciously designed for that.

If life works 99.99999% of the time, then what we think is breaking down, IS NOT.

That tiny percentage is not a failure, rather it is part of the function. It is what it is designed to do.

What we think is breaking down, IS NOT.

It’s like going to Disneyland. The rides are supposed to be bumpy and even a little scary.

What is happening in our lives is what is supposed to happen in our lives.

Make a list of all your difficulties that you can remember.

Now imagine that they had been a tiny percentage worse. Almost certainly they would have finished you off.

Or if they had been at a different time in your life, or two had occurred at the same time.

Do you think it’s just coincidence that life throws you problems, and that you have just enough resources to handle and resolve them, and no more?

Isn’t it incredible that these so called problems fit perfectly within our ability to respond to them?

Our lives resemble video games. The designers of which DO NOT give the players an over-abundance of weapons.

Nor do they engage a far superior enemy.

The programmers build the game is such a way, that there is a fine balance, so that it gives the player a bare chance of succeeding.

That is not an accident in the game, OR IN LIFE.

You might say you don't like it, but when it is a game, you do!

It means, you know how to like it, you just don't want to.

Imagine strolling through a chic Parisian neighborhood. In the window of an exclusive patisserie you spot a irresistible dessert.

Your diet is going to have to take a break.

The well coifed assistant offers her help, and you point to the object of your desires. She compliments you on your good choice, noting that it's a house specialty.

As she motions towards the refrigerated case to retrieve your selection, you object, "No, I want the one in the window!"

"But that's plastic!" She explains.

"I know!" You respond.

A lot of people I know spend an awful lot of time reading and watching fictional accounts of lives in crisis. It's called entertainment.

It's also plastic.

You, however, are living the real thing.

Save yourself the Netflix subscription and enjoy the taste of your own life.

If you are going through something that you would find entertaining if Brad Pitt or Anne Hathaway were staring in it, then your life has all the excitement and intrigue you need.

You just need to want it.