Experts Warn Ease of Modern Life May Harm Vitality and Mental Health
Modern technology and artificial intelligence have made life increasingly comfortable by eliminating most discomforts instantly. However, this ease may paradoxically reduce our vitality, defined as the biological ability to adapt, grow, and remain resilient. Professor Moshe Bar, a brain researcher at Bar-Ilan University and Massachusetts General Hospital, explains that vitality depends on facing gradual challenges that strengthen the body, behavior, and mind.
Physical progression involves increasing aerobic exercise intensity, which improves mood, cardiovascular health, and reduces inflammation. Behavioral progression, such as gradually resuming meaningful activities, helps combat depression by breaking cycles of avoidance. Cognitive progression requires expanding thinking beyond repetitive worries to foster creativity, motivation, and mental flexibility, which supports psychological well-being.
Bar cautions against relying on instant gratification habits like social media scrolling, sugar consumption, or passive entertainment, which provide only temporary mood boosts without building resilience. True progress demands effort, discomfort, and uncertainty but leads to lasting strength and reduced mortality risk. He emphasizes that sustained progress, not just reaching goals, underpins long-term mental health.
To foster vitality, individuals should start small by increasing physical activity slightly, engaging in challenging learning, or initiating new social interactions. The key question is not whether an activity feels good immediately, but whether it promotes growth. Bar will discuss these ideas at the "Experiment and Wonder: Art and Science Conference" on July 15, organized by Mifal HaPais and the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot.
Summary: Professor Moshe Bar warns that the modern drive for comfort may undermine human vitality, which thrives on gradual challenges across physical, behavioral, and cognitive domains. He advocates for embracing effortful progress to maintain health and resilience, highlighting the risks of passive instant gratification habits. Bar will present these findings at a July 15 conference in Israel.
