The Evolution of Anxiety

In his insightful article with the title “The Evolution of Anxiety: Why We Worry and What to Do About It” James Clear explains why humans are stressed and worried by introducing his reader to two concepts-The Immediate Return Environment and The Delayed Return Environment with the help of a metaphor. The author wants his reader to pretend to be a giraffe in a savanna whose every decision in life has an instant, clear outcome, be it good or bad. This giraffe belongs to an immediate return environment. He then asks his reader to assume he/ she is one of the humans on safari for vacations. The decisions made by the human, need not necessarily benefit his or her life immediately. Through these contrasting situations, the author explains how society today practices the rules of a Delayed Return Environment where rewards are delayed until sometime in the future. Unfortunately, this delay causes stress and anxiety as human brains are meant for immediate return environments. The author compares the role played by the neocortex in the present age to its role in the Palaeolithic age, showing evidence that the rate of change of human society is not in accordance with the rate at which the brain is evolving. The miss match between our old brain and the new environment has a significant impact on the amount of chronic anxiety we experience today. Stress and anxiety were once useful emotions, fit to protect an individual from immediate problems in an Immediate Return Environment and just like in the case of wild animals, there was no such thing as chronic stress. The author believes that the greatest source of anxiety today is the constant uncertainty. Yet, he says it is possible to thrive in a Delayed Return Environment. First, is by measuring. Remove the uncertainty from the situation by measuring its variables and seek feedback in the process of measurement.  The author recommends The Paper Clip Strategy and The Seinfeld Strategy as good measuring techniques. Second, is to ‘shift your worry’ from a long-term problem to a daily routine that solves the problem. The author trusts that by measuring things that are important and following daily practices, an individual will be able to reduce the uncertainty and stress he or she faces in this modern society.

This is a Precis. Click here to view the original article. https://jamesclear.com/evolution-of-anxiety