The Hedonic Treadmill: Why We Can Never Have Enough Things
Key Takeaways
Hedonic adaptation is a psychological theory that states that any event, whether good or bad, has little lasting effect on our overall happiness. The effect has been described as the “Hedonic Treadmill” – no matter how hard we try to increase our happiness, we always stay in the same place.
Hedonic adaptation lies at the core of the modern consumerist epidemic, driven by the constant pursuit of desires. This endless pursuit of materialistic gains leads us to a situation where we are never truly satisfied with what we have, and we end up harming the planet in the process.
Living a simple and meaningful life, pursuing kindness and altruistic activities is the key to lasting happiness. This is confirmed by psychological research and is the way of life prescribed by Islam as well.
We are all familiar with this experience – we buy something new, say a new phone or car, and feel great at first. But soon after, we get bored and begin our pursuit of the next big thing. And then the next. And this cycle continues.
Why is it that the initial excitement, or more importantly happiness, never seems to last?
Research in psychology has pointed out a specific phenomenon at the heart of this issue: Hedonic adaptation.
Hedonic adaptation and the hedonic treadmill
Hedonic adaptation is a psychological theory that states that any event, whether good or bad, has little to no lasting effect on our overall happiness.
Hedonic adaptation highlights that even though our levels of happiness or sadness may fluctuate due to the events in our lives in the short term, we eventually return to a baseline level of happiness in the long run.
To put it very simply, it states that – good or bad – we get used to things.
Owing to this, the effect has been described metaphorically as the “Hedonic Treadmill” – that no matter how hard we try to increase our happiness, we always stay in the same place (or end up where we started).
The consumerist trap
Hedonic adaptation lies at the core of the modern consumerist epidemic, driven by the constant pursuit of desires.
Whenever we buy something we desire, we get a boost of joy. Very soon, however, this becomes the new “normal” for us. Our mind then moves the goalpost to something else. This continues on and on, in an endless pursuit of materialist gains, where we are never truly satisfied with what we have.
Hedonic adaptation and consumerism – a recipe for environmental disaster
As we’ve highlighted before, this global culture of constantly buying new products to fulfill our never-ending desires has disastrous effects on the environment.
While large corporations have indeed played a major role in environmental degradation, the effects of household consumption cannot be disregarded. According to a study, household consumption contributes to around 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 50-80% of total land, material, and water use.
Much of this excessive consumption can be traced back to the hedonic treadmill, as our consumption patterns are dominated by non-essential products, aimed purely at fulfilling our desires. Take fast fashion – there is hardly a more apt example of how luxury goods are destroying the planet.
According to the Geneva Environment Network, in addition to producing around 20% of the global industrial wastewater pollution, the fashion industry uses enough water to meet the needs of five million people!
Thus, our modern lifestyle driven by the hedonistic pursuit of desires is destroying the planet. It is also against the spirit of Islam and the example of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
A simple yet meaningful life – Islam’s message for lasting happiness
So, what then is Islam’s formula for lasting happiness? It lies in living a simple life and pursuing meaningful deeds.
In contrast to our hedonistic, consumerist lifestyle, the Prophet (SAW) lived a life marked by simplicity and self-reliance. He is quoted as saying:
“Verily, simple living is part of faith, simple living is part of faith.”
While we, his followers, do not pass up an opportunity to buy every new product introduced in the market or replace an existing one at the slightest sign of wear and tear, he would repair and reuse his household items:
Simplicity does not mean leaving all pleasures of life.
Of course, it must be clarified that the Islamic notion of a simple life does not refer to asceticism – the total abandonment of life’s pleasures for a purely spiritual life. In a Hadith, the Prophet (SAW) clarified this as follows:
Thus, it is perfectly acceptable to want to dress nicely and have good things. What matters is to avoid excessiveness – the most prominent characteristic of our consumerist lifestyle. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:
“Eat and drink, but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not the wasteful.”
Happiness lies in living a meaningful life of service and kindness.
So what, according to Islam, is the key to a good life marked by lasting happiness? Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an that He grants the gift of a good life to those believers who do good. He says:
In one Hadith narration, the Prophet (SAW) explains what constitutes good and righteous deeds as follows:
“The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked, ‘Which deeds are best?’ The Prophet said, ‘To bring happiness to a believer, to satisfy his hunger, to clothe his nakedness, or to fulfill his needs.’”
Similarly, as we have highlighted previously, Muslims are encouraged to do good to all living beings, including animals, as well as work for the betterment of the environment as a form of sadaqah jariya (ongoing charity).
All of this coincides perfectly with findings from modern psychological research, where meaningful and altruistic activities like volunteering are reported to bring lasting results in happiness and inner peace. [1]
Escaping the hedonic treadmill
Thus, Islam suggests that breaking free from the hedonic treadmill involves leading a life centered on meaningful endeavors, coupled with the ethical and moderate enjoyment of life's pleasures. That is the kind of life we must aspire to.
If the above discussion has inspired you to take up volunteering and helping Allah’s (SWT) creations, visit our global directory where you can find volunteer organizations near you.
[1] Diener E, Seligman MEP, Choi H, Oishi S. Happiest people revisited. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2018;13(2):176-184. doi:10.1177/1745691617697077.
