Jell-O. That’s right, Jell-O. We’re talking comfort and convenience so what better way to start then to talk about Jell-O. Patented in the late 1800’s, after decades of “from scratch” gelatin desserts, the jewel colors and fruity tastes of this time saving product introduced us to convenience. Finally we had refrigerators, machine packaging, and Home Ec classes. And didn’t your mother (and hospitals) always comfort you with Jell-O if you were sick? Quick, easy, pretty, silly, fun. Even creative. Think of Tupperware molds filled with fruit salad and nuts, marshmallows, whipped cream and lime Jell-O.
Concerning the evolution of convenience, in the February 16, 2018, New York Times Sunday Review, Tim Wu called it “…the most underestimated and least understood force in the world today…It has emerged as perhaps the most powerful force shaping our individual lives and our economics…Given the growth of convenience – as an ideal, as a value, as a way of life – it is worth asking what our fixation with it is doing to us and our country.”
From labor-saving devices like the automatic washing machine, the vacuum cleaner, and the weed eater, to Amazon, the internet, and streaming TV, we have systematically erased anything in our daily lives that presents some sort of struggle or challenge that could give life meaning. We are “…all destination and no journey”, as Mr. Wu says. He advocates doing at least some difficult things slowly, rather than always being satisfied with what is easiest.
And then there is comfort. One online dictionary describes it as “a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint”. In the decades following World War II, people sought comfort to distract themselves from the horrors they’d endured. They’d worked hard, suffered, and they deserved both emotional and physical comfort. It became a preoccupation. In LABOR AVOIDANCE: The Origins of Inhumanity (2015), author Jon Huer states, “We wish to be free from unnecessary exertion…to avoid labor and reduce toil – especially in the U.S. where comfort and convenience, and now pleasure, have been the most ferociously pursued goals.” Our fascination with and dominance by computer technology is proof.
What I find so interesting is that Ben and I left our home in North Carolina because we felt it had become too comfortable, too convenient. We were bored, looking for meaning in a way of life that would offer more challenge. We came to Mexico to immerse ourselves in a culture that moves more slowly, with more emphasis on Community, Nature, and Spirit, and less emphasis on materialism and the convenience of technology. And it has, indeed, been a challenge in many ways. Those who follow my blog know that I’ve talked about the learning curve of living here: the difficulty of shopping for the simplest items, the cobblestone streets (yes, quaint but tough, too), the noise, the effort it takes to find trustworthy, reliable help, the lack of HVAC on a cold, rainy day, the language barrier…We wanted a challenge and we got it.
Then we found our beautiful house with a fabulous view and a swimming pool, well-maintained, low profile cobblestone streets, and a gate that separates us from the ever-growing trash and construction on our old street. And we are comfortable. The washing machine works, the pool guy and the housekeeper come weekly, and our handyman/gardener has become a friend. Cozy. Good place to have guests. Including in the one bedroom casita. Maybe many things aren’t as convenient, but they’re not so bad. Amazon MX delivers to my door.
We’d been in our new house two weeks when The Lockdown started. We’re stir crazy. We go out once or twice a week for food and cash, but mostly we stay home. We’ve both come to count on afternoon pool “therapy” and are irritated if that schedule is interrupted. We enjoy our newly adopted four year old schnauzer Tomi. We’re blessed to have this place to retreat to. Millions have lost jobs and businesses. Many are hungry. We are retired. We have it good, don’t we? Maybe it’s OK to be comfortable?
I wonder now, the week after the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, with a “leader” who incites violence and obviously cares nothing for anyone but himself, how much comfort and convenience has brought We the People to this place in time. If we were a society that recognized struggle and challenge as strength rather than inconvenience and irritation, would we be in a different place? Are we so tuned in to “technological comfort and convenience” that we have lost our ability to stand up? When the election and the pandemic are over, what will be left? What will we change? What will we create? Will comfort, convenience, and pleasure still be our focus? Or will we finally see the importance of Community, Nature, and Spirit and realize what we’ve been missing? It is a strange, strange time to be alive. There is much to learn. May our hearts be open.
Thanks for writing. I love to hear about your life there and see the pictures. Life unfolds… the pool sounds heavenly and a little dog for more companionship. Everyone I know here in NC is getting really bored and sometimes cranky 😊. And most everyone I know is fairly comfortable but struggling with something. A time of patience and introspection and change. 💜🍓🐝
It is truly that. As more things open up now I will gain more understanding of how our village has actually been affected. And how I can help. Thanks for your faithful readership!
I wondered where you were going with jello. It is such a frivolous jiggly thing, ubiquitous along with cake at every Mexican birthday. Why is she talking about jello when our cities are burning and our people are in despair and our faces are covered in protection and fear, when there is fear in the land. All the lands, great and small, poor and prosperous. Okay. I’ll go along with this thread and read on. And of course, smart as you are, there it is, the punch line: how can we be comfortable and content in these times of sorrow and desperation. There is no comfort or convenience at the expense of others. Of course, not all have this world view. So, do we retreat to that place behind doors, gates, into our protected lives in the face of a “leader” who fomenta violence and destruction and blames the opposition for all that is wrong. I am reminded of Miguel Hidalgo’s La Grita, the cry for freedom that sparked Mexico’s independence from Spain. We must shout out loud and clear, these are not our values, this is not good enough, we are better than this. We cannot allow ourselves to hide, stay silent, care more for comfort and convenience than the well-being of our neighbors, be they brown, black, yellow, red or white. Thank you for raising the bar and the dialog and the reminder that we are privileged and with that comes responsibility.
I thank you so much for following the thread. At first my jello idea (from Natalie Goldberg’s book about writing memoirs – tell me everything you know about jello in 10 minutes) was intended for comic relief. I figured if I needed it so did a lot of other people. And then, why am I connecting jello with loss & violence. In the end the connection made perfect sense to me. As much as any of it can make sense, that is. Thank you for your comments.
As usual, I agree with almost everything you’ve said here Chris. It’s a little different for me because I had already made the shift to retirement and because I am a crusader for making – so making art, growing food, DIY projects, volunteering etc. Our main reason for moving here was fear of exactly what has happened – plague, which I foresaw only in very broad terms and certainly didn’t expect to be safer in our little island of calm than at home- and fire in the streets as Dumpy takes over and encourages murder and mayhem.
The only thing I want to add is that as we enjoyed convenience and comfort in the states, a growing portion of the population was sinking into poverty, inconvenience and prosecution. I’ve seen it attributed to many different people and in many different versions, but “first they came for the socialists, and I wasn’t a social….” Were I younger, I’d take to the streets again. Were I older, I’d strap on my suicide vest and attend the next rally. But I am just young enough and tired enough to want to be a little comfortable and to do what I can for people who haven’t quite accepted the gosple of greed yet!
I almost certainly won’t be around to see what comes next. I sincerely hope it is a return to community and the true meaning of socialism, but I wouldn’t hold my breath!
Meanwhile, dogs and sunshine and looking forward to the rain, swimming every day, having a “tribe.” That’ll do for this vejestorio!
Thanks so much for your very articulate & thought provoking reply. As I said, there is much to learn. We were in the bubble of Orange County NC & I truly was not exposed to the population that were not able to profit from comfort & convenience.