Needs Met
I woke up with “a peaceful easy feeling,” as Kate Wolf put it.
The words that came to mind were: needs met.
Lying warm. Feeling good in my body. In a house full of love.
Nothing is picture perfect. And that is fine.
Last week I was push push pushing all of my projects forward. Workaholism is a family trait I can fall into if I’m not paying attention. Measuring progress. Chasing momentum. Stacking obligations. Then I stopped dead in my tracks.
My kids are only going to need me like this for a few more years. They are already forming deep, committed relationships with their friends.
What is all this pushing for?
From that pause, this morning felt different.
OpenAI has joined capitalism and will soon begin selling advertising that will be shown only to those who cannot afford $200+ per month in subscription fees. I have lived inside a capitalistic system my entire life, so perhaps I never saw this dynamic quite so clearly before.
The people who cannot afford the subscription will be shown more of what they cannot afford. They will not suddenly gain the means to purchase it. They will simply be reminded of all they can’t have.
Will some be motivated to work harder? Probably. But we also know that wealth in our society is not distributed purely by effort. Luck, access, inheritance, timing — these play enormous roles. More striving does not guarantee greater purchasing power. Often, it produces deeper dissatisfaction with what one already has.
Advertising fertilizes dissatisfaction.
Why do we design systems that accentuate what is lacking?
Needs met.
Such a simple, beautiful feeling.
I am not calling for poverty. I am not suggesting we stop providing for ourselves or our families. Material needs are real.
But once our basic physical needs are met, let’s notice.
There is a deep peace in recognizing enough. The greatest gift we can offer — to ourselves and to each other — is time and presence. These are not commodities. And yet they produce the most durable form of wealth: peace and happiness.
Notice the moment before wanting begins again.
Notice when enough is actually enough.
Notice when needs are met.