Is the world designed to depress us?

Excerpt from Reasons To Stay Alive by Matt Haig. via @⭐ֆʊʐɨɛ⭐💋 ɨռȶʝ ⭐ǟʀᥴɦιȶᥱᥴȶ⭐💋 for the image and @Spacemagick for finding the source title.
https://friendica.mrpetovan.com/photos/hypolite/image/142435881660b0ff4e0b530078105202

The text rings simple and true, but a little too simplistic for my own taste. It is easier said than done, and I believe it has to do with the fact that this drive for more or better isn't entirely artificially engineered. The success of consumerism directly derives from this drive, but did it invent it? I'm not so sure. During my self-isolation I decided on because of the pandemic, I've felt a string restlessness that had little to do with marketing and advertisement. I satisfied it with second-hand LEGO because it kept me busy during a time I couldn't do a lot of stuff I usually do.

Even beyond that, humans have diminishing returns on experiences. We don't get the same thrill re-reading the same book, watching the same movie, looking at the same artwork. We fundamentally enjoy novelty and it fuels the drive that consumerism exploits through FOMO marketing.

So, to be calm is a revolutionary act, not just against the world, but against oneself as well.