All modern diseases are diseases of abundance. We punish ourselves by constantly entertaining our minds and bodies.
We live in a world where almost anything can reach us instantly—food, information, entertainment, connection. Yet somehow this abundance makes us feel worse, not better. We're simultaneously overstimulated and undernourished, scrolling through infinite content while feeling hollow, or eating beyond satisfaction because the option is always there. The irony is sharp: scarcity used to be our problem, and now excess is.
What's tricky is that this excess feels like freedom. Nobody's forcing you to check your phone every few minutes or eat that third meal today. But that's partly the problem. We've built a world that rewards constant engagement—your attention is literally currency to platforms, your willingness to consume is encouraged at every turn. Without external constraints, we become our own worst enemies, treating our minds and bodies like they can handle infinite input without consequence.
The non-obvious part? Simply having less wouldn't solve this. What actually matters is developing your own internal "no"—learning to choose scarcity on purpose. This might look like designated phone-free hours, eating until satisfied rather than until full, or protecting your attention like you'd protect money. The diseases of abundance aren't really about having too much. They're about losing the ability to say stop.
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Sign inNaval Ravikant is a successful entrepreneur, investor, and author, known for his expertise in the field of technology and startup companies. He is the co-founder of AngelList and has gained popularity for his insightful thoughts on happiness, wealth, and personal development shared through his popular podcast and social media platforms.