Thin Desires Are Eating Your Life - Article Recap

A recap of Joan Westenberg's article on thin versus thick desires, and how modern technology exploits our desires for quick gratification at the expense of meaningful personal transformation.

  • Thin vs. Thick Desires: Thin desires can be quickly and easily satisfied but don't lead to personal growth or meaningful change (e.g., checking notifications). Thick desires involve pursuing something that transforms you (e.g., mastering a skill, building real relationships).
  • Modern life revolves around hunger: People constantly feel lacking and wanting, unable to articulate the source of their dissatisfaction despite having plenty.
  • The key distinction: Thick desires change you; thin desires don't. Thick desires require effort and time and result in genuine personal transformation.
  • Learning as transformation: Learning calculus allows you to see new patterns and grow as a person, while checking notifications leaves you unchanged.
  • Technology exploits thick desires: Consumer technology narrows down thick desires to just their neurological rewards, then delivers those rewards in easily scalable, monetizable, and addictive ways.
  • Simulated satisfaction: Social media simulates social connection without real friendship, pornography offers sexual satisfaction without vulnerability, and productivity apps provide accomplishment without actual achievement—all "thin" experiences.
  • Mental health crisis link: This diet of pure sensation may be contributing to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and loneliness as people are prevented from aspiring to or cultivating meaningful desires.
  • Giving people what they want: Providing easily accessible forms of gratification prevents people from developing rewarding and meaningful desires.
  • Thick desires are inconvenient: They require commitment and cannot be satisfied instantly or commodified. Examples include mastering a craft, engaging deeply with books, building real community, and understanding one's place in tradition.
  • True meaning comes from difficulty: These difficult, time-consuming endeavors are what truly change us and make life meaningful, unlike thin desires which are fleeting and leave us wanting more.
  • Philosophical foundation: The article builds on concepts from philosophers like Charles Taylor and Agnes Callard, emphasizing the practical distinction between desires that transform us and those that merely satisfy momentary cravings.

The full article is available here.