Psychological Experiment
Let’s start with a historical, psychological experiment that took place in the Netherlands in 2015. The experiment format was such that the participant had to sit alone in a small room and watch a movie clip of 85 seconds, continuously for one hour. a table was placed in front of them, and a screen on it and a movie clip playing on that screen.
Putting ourselves in the place of the participants of that experiment, the question arises how many times can we watch a clip of 85 seconds? As time went on, the embarrassment and boredom of the participants increased.
But now, the most important thing of the experiment comes. Electrodes were attached to each participant in the experiment and arranged to voluntarily give themselves electric shocks of mild to very extreme intensity.
To take electric current or not? The participant should make the decision, and not only that, how much grief should be taken? It is up to them to decide.
Looking at the design of the experiment, the first thought that naturally comes to mind is whether a participant voluntarily uses electric shock. If one gets bored watching a movie clip, sit with their eyes closed for an hour, but it doesn’t happen.
By the end of the hour, the participants had given themselves an average of 22 electric shocks. Not only that, but with the passage of time, the intensity of the electric current also increased.
The psychological reason for this?
Boredom, monotony, dullness and lack of variety. The young people who took part in the experiment over a short period of one hour got so bored with the same experience, and they chose to give themselves an electric shock instead of sitting quietly with their eyes closed.
The experiment revealed that human beings crave new experiences every day, constantly and every moment of their lives. Repetition of the same experience makes a person depressed, sick and mentally distressed, and that’s why a new term, ‘Psychological Richness’, was born from this landmark experiment. We can call it psychological or mental prosperity.
What is this Mental Prosperity?
The same routine or monotonous life frustrates us the most. According to the French philosopher Blaise Pascal, “most human problems are due to the inability to sit alone in a closed room.”
But he also said that there is a mysterious and implicit instinct in each of us to have new experiences, and Pascal called it the “Secret Antitact”.
Because of this human instinct, activities like adventure sports, roller coaster or other dangerous rides, river rafting or bungee jumping are carried out.
We want something new every moment. If this innate tendency to increase mental prosperity is not given the right direction, the incidence of addiction, crime, accident or unwanted events may increase. Whether good or bad, safe or harmful, pleasurable or fatal, our mind only yearns for experiences.
Mental Prosperity
Good or bad, each of our memorable experiences enhances our mental prosperity, and that is the secret of our well-being. There is still time to make new experiences in life.
Otherwise, this whole life will pass in front of the screen, and in the end, the electric shock will also feel overwhelming!
Despite health, wealth and convenience, sometimes happiness is different from ours because there is no mental prosperity.
Read More : WHO Report – Our Children are in Depression
