Seth's Blog : Benign vs. normal

Benign vs. normal

We evolved to be wary of change. Our attention is limited, new things can be a threat and the status quo feels comfortable.

As a result, we spend a lot of time and energy being afraid (and arguing about) the upcoming changes in our lives, but almost no time at all thinking about the things we’re used to.

A decade from now, people will look back on things we do now and view them as dangerous, foolish or selfish. If they were introduced today, they’d be shunned, not embraced. If someone had just invented the coal mine, it would be a really hard sell.

The takeaway isn’t that any particular habit or technology is inherently dangerous. It’s that giving the benefit of the doubt to the established ones might be a mistake.