The Complacent Class

I often find myself listening to The Art of Manliness – the hipster guide to being a modern day man. I thought that this episode was particularly pertinent. The host interviews the economist Tyler Cowen, about his book The Complacent Class.

The Art of Manliness Podcast: The Complacent Class

A while ago I realized that there are two types of people in this world. Those who resist change and those that embrace it. Change is natural, and it affects everything. Unless you are dynamic, you will not be able to thrive in an ever-changing world. What I did not realize, was that the number of dynamic people in American has really decreased since the 1970s. Cowen argues that Americans as a whole:

• Move across the country less.
• Are more paranoid about their children.
• Take more medications for anxiety.
• Protest less against politics they don’t like.
• In general, dig in, play it safe, and take fewer chances.

No doubt there are benefits to settling in place. It has led to better safety nets, and in many cases increased happiness. But there the hipster downsides to being unwilling to change.

1. It has led to slower economic growth. It’s harder for regions of the country to dynamically adjust to changing economic climates.
2. It has led to greater segregation in American. Racial segregation continues to be a problem, but now there is also economic and political segregation. This leads to decreased economic mobility and the reaffirming clusters we see in American politics right now.
3. With the single exception of Silicon Valley, it has resulted in reduced entrepreneurship. And even much what’s coming out of Silicon Valley leads us to be more complacent.

If you are unwilling to make the small changes as life goes on, eventually there will be a significant change forced on you that you cannot handle.

These things come in cycles. The 80s and 90s were pretty stable decades, but all one has to do is look at this past election to see that the US may be headed for a time of more turmoil. A time that many young adults have never experienced before.

We know the world is changing, and Cowen does make a few suggestions about how to make yourself overcome your natural bias against change.

I plan on continuing to fight my natural bias against change. To continue to try and get out of my comfort zone and avoid stagnation. I will share everything I learn here. The future is scary sounding, isn’t it? But it’s not all bleak and gray. Tyler mentions a study where half the people were told to make a change in their life, and those that did tended to be happier.