The Depth Deficit: A Psychological Inquiry into Modern Overstimulation
Explanation - The Paradox of Choice
The Paradox of Choice is a concept proposed by psychologist Barry Schwartz in his book in 2004. The concept explains that the more options one has, the more anxiety one experiences. This is due to the cognitive effort required during decision-making, which leads to decision fatigue and increased regret over one's choice. When presented with a large number of options, people experience "Choice Overload" as explained by Schwtarz. It is characterized by the overwhelming difficulty in choosing one option among many available, along with the potential for regret over the chosen option. Opportunity costs are higher in the case of multiple options, which can be mentally taxing.
This explains the basic logic of Schwartz's work, explaining why more is less. Freedom was initially associated with the ability to choose among multiple options, but economists and psychologists in modern societies have concluded that the diversity of options has affected the happiness of people. As expected by traditional economists, consumer satisfaction has not increased with the increase in choices. The more choices a person has, the less satisfied they feel with any choice made; this phenomenon is known as "Analysis Paralysis."
The Dopamine Economy
While millennials have learned to adapt to the technology that defines the modern world, Gen Z was born into it. For many, the day starts not with sunlight but with a blue screen. The habit of instant scrolling and increased digital dependence has affected the lives of not only adults but also children and teenagers. A study in Rajkot, India, found that over 81% of all children under the age of 10 years use mobile screens at mealtimes. A French EDEN cohort (1,562 kids aged 2 to 5.5 years) established that consistent TV playing during mealtimes led to a 3 IQ points drop in verbal scores by the age of 5.5 years as a result of reduced parent-child conversations. Many studies have pointed out the grave threat technology poses to the lives of the younger population in the world.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter; it is a chemical messenger that plays a role in motivation and drive, reward anticipation, and pleasure-seeking behavior. It also contributes to learning and habit formation. In a positive context, dopamine helps us move towards motivational goals in life. Meanwhile, "Dopamine Economy" refers to a digital environment tailored in a way to exploit the brain's reward system. The exploitation happens through the short and repeated spikes of pleasure and validation. The dopamine gets hijacked for quick hits of gratification, making the person vulnerable to decision paralysis, issues with self-discovery and self-esteem, and shallow connections.
Social Media and Dopamine
The various features of Instagram, such as likes, comments, reels, and endless scrolling through memes, all contribute to a reward system driven by social validation, unpredictable novelty, anticipation, and quick entertainment. Research has shown that social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter activate the brain's reward pathways similarly to addictive substances. The attention span of more than half the generation has shrunk, making it dangerously difficult for a person to tolerate boredom and stick with a single job, book, career, or partner. As a result, real life often feels dull when compared to the idealized images seen on Pinterest, leading many to seek constant escapism.
How are our lives affected?
People in the modern world remain dissatisfied with their lives and are often found to be restless and complaining. This is due to the overwhelming stimulation one experiences daily, which makes real-world tasks like studying or working feel more difficult than they really are. Surrounded by countless escape routes, Gen-Z can simply choose to not think about something that feels uncomfortable. This is how people have learned to avoid discomfort at any cost and disengage themselves from introspection and reflection.
As a result, more and more people are lacking the skills of confrontation and commitment. The Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) on other options keeps the individual from truly excelling in a single situation. People have the luxury to move on to the next thing without having to confront their own thoughts about something. This explains the feeling of being lost that is highly prevalent amongst the modern generation, not because of a lack of options and opportunities, but because we rarely pause long enough to hear ourselves think. The potentiality of a perfect and idealised life is limiting our happiness in many ways.
Relationships in the modern world
The Decision Fatigue we experience in our everyday lives is now seeping into modern dating culture, making it more complicated than ever before. Dating apps have fostered a culture of surface-level relationships, where the illusion of infinite options makes commitment feel like a risk. This is due to the false belief that someone better might still be out there, just a swipe away.
On dating apps, people are treated like commodities and judged by appearance and catchy one-liners on their profiles. The quick judgment of one's profile is mistaken for a judgment of their personality, limiting the possibility of further exploration of someone's personality and life in depth. The thrill of experiencing another conversation, another match, builds hesitation around commitment. Relationships are fueled not by empathy and emotional connection but by validation.
How can we change?
1. Digital Discernment
Not all screen time is equal. Curate your digital space consciously by unfollowing accounts that drain you, limiting app use, and being intentional about what you consume.
2. Introduce Stillness Into Daily Life
Schedule “boredom” on purpose. Take walks without music. Eat without distractions. Let your mind breathe. It is in these times that clarity might be found.
3. Dopamine Reset
Try a “dopamine detox”: reduce fast-reward behaviors like binge-scrolling or multitasking. It helps recalibrate your brain’s ability to enjoy simple, slower, deeper activities like reading, journaling, or meaningful conversations.
4. Limit Choices Where You Can
Create defaults in daily life, such as a morning routine, a weekly meet-up, or a digital-free hour. Reducing decision fatigue helps free mental space for more meaningful thinking.
5. Make Reflection a Habit
Use journaling, therapy, or just quiet thinking to explore your own values, desires, and patterns. You can’t make clear choices if you don’t know who you are.
6. Embrace Slower Content
Read long-form articles. Listen to full albums. Watch films that make you think. Challenge your attention span gently, as it is like rebuilding a weakened muscle.
7. Tech Boundaries in Relationships
Put phones away during meals, dates, and conversations. Tech interference (phubbing) chips away at intimacy and presence.
10. Get Familiar with Discomfort
You don’t need to have your life figured out at a young age as promoted by influencers online. Get used to sitting with uncertainty, without numbing it through distraction. Growth often begins where clarity is still forming.
The Bottom Line
Gen-Z has mistaken abundance for clarity and scrolling for stillness. The modern world has taught us how to interact with machines, but has failed to teach us how to deal with one another and ourselves. A generation built on hyperstimulation has lost a sense of meaning and presence, making it urgent for us to reclaim what we have been drifting away from; to begin fostering a slow life driven by depth and introspection. The answers we seek won't be found in another feed, but within. We were never meant to live like this.
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