[Mouvelie]

Are smart people even fulfilled ? How many smart people work on industries they can't wait to quit ? On problems they don't even care ?

I feel like everyone within 2-standard division of the IQ mean is still susceptible to the never-ending that being rich and having money is all that matters instead of, I don't know, supporting life on the only habitable planet we know.

[no_wizard]

It makes one wonder why we didn't and continue not to steer our systems to reward supporting life on the planet vs being a destructive force.

What drives us to this short term consumption model

[fransje26]

> What drives us to this short term consumption model

As Mister Crabs would say: Money?

Or, with a bit more nuance: the need to support oneself in the environment and society one finds him/herself in.

With ever-increasing living costs comes the need for an ever-increasing income. Our evolutionarily ingrained search for a "safe" living situation means that we will prioritize a sufficient income over the larger goal of transforming the society we live in.

So although changing the society we live in would lead to a greatly improved life situation, we are biased towards staying in the rat race to make sure we are not missing out at this exact moment. (And potentially in the future, as a societal change will only work out if a sufficient amount of people are willing to take the risk of stepping out of the rat-race).

[amatecha]

What drives us to that model? Greedy rich people who want more and will exploit whoever they can to increase their material riches and power. Oh, and the rest of us allowing that.