I came across a phrase with which I was not familiar the other day, “hedonic adaptation.” Looking up the meaning of the phrase I read, “Hedonic adaptation is the psychological tendency to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness after major positive or negative life events. Also known as the ‘hedonic treadmill,’ it explains why the initial thrill of a new purchase or a major life milestone eventually fades, bringing our emotions back to a baseline set point.” Simply put, it is getting used to pleasure!
The conversation which used this phrase used it in the context of social commentary on our culture. The man quoted from Warren Buffett, a philanthropist who as of this year is the ninth wealthiest man in the world (146 Billion dollars). Buffett was talking about an earlier rich man, John D. Rockefeller who lived from 1839- 1937. Rockefeller was the richest man in the United States, and the world at that time. Adjusted for inflation, his net worth is estimated to have been between 400 and 600 Billion dollars.
And yet, Buffett noted that any work Rockefeller had done on his teeth during most of his lifetime was done without novacaine! He also mentioned that as rich as he was, to see a football game for entertainment, he had to go to the game! Today we can sit on our couch in our air conditioned home, and see the game on a large screen TV, complete with commentary and replays!
Now this commentary had to do with economics in our day. Job losses to technology, like the internet or more recently AI, are real. However technology has led to improvements in our lives so that even the modestly salaried among us have a better life in many ways than the richest man in the world 100 years ago. The man derided the complaints and worries of people in our culture, declaring that we have it good because of technology, and future technology will surely make it better for all of us. Now, you may agree or disagree with his conclusions, but I think that the concept of hedonic adaptation is real. And it is dangerous to us!
That is why we have so many warnings, and examples of riches leading to sin in scripture. For example, read Jesus’ conversation with His disciples in Mark 10:23-27, “Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, ‘Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, ‘Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said, With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.’”
Paul wrote to Timothy, “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:6-10).
The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Consider the following dangers.
- A sense of entitlement. So many in our society view charity as a right, and use government as an excuse to live lives of leisure, refusing to work and care for their own. Paul wrote, “…If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread” (2 Thessalonians 3:10b-12). We are certainly told to be charitable to the oppressed and afflicted, but the sluggards and the spoiled are not to be encouraged in their sin.
- Greediness. In Psalm 10:3 we read, “For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; he blesses the greedy and renounces the LORD.” Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon states that in this verse the greedy is a “greedy getter or robber”, and indicates a willingness to get things wrongfully or by violence. Another word for this is covetousness, listed as a sin in such places as Luke 12:15; Colossians 3:5; and Ephesians 5:5.
- Pride. One of the dangers of riches (of which even the more modestly blessed among us are vulnerable) is that we might feel ourselves self-sufficient. We may have the idea we don’t need God. Consider Moses’ warning to the Israelites early in their history, “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage” (Deuteronomy 8:11-14). Our culture has this problem, our relative riches and hedonistic lifestyles have led us to forget our God and our reliance upon Him.
Christians must remember and give thanks to God. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Be content and thankful, and do not be guilty of hedonic adaptation!
