Resilience, Here Are 10 Reasons Why We Are Becoming More Fragile

Resilience has become a buzzword today, often promoted as the key to success, mental strength, and overcoming adversity. We are constantly encouraged to “bounce back,” “adapt,” and “stay strong.” If you follow my articles, you know that I continue to advocate resilience and adaptiveness. It’s not just a concept but a tool that can inspire and empower you.

However, despite this growing emphasis on resilience, many individuals and societies appear more fragile than ever. From increasing mental health struggles to economic instability, there are several reasons why fragility is outpacing resilience. This is not just a trend but a pressing issue that needs our attention. Here are ten factors contributing to this paradox.

1. An Extreme Culture of Safety

Modern societies prioritize safety to an extreme, shielding individuals — especially children — from challenges, discomfort, and failure. This has led to a lack of exposure to adversity, making people less capable of handling difficulties when they arise.

For instance, ‘helicopter parenting’ involves parents who are overly involved in their children’s lives, often to the point of making decisions for them or shielding them from potential harm. Similarly, excessively cautious policies in schools or workplaces might discourage risk-taking or limit opportunities for growth.

These trends have prevented individuals from developing natural coping mechanisms.

2. Instant Gratification and Dopamine Addiction

Technology has made it easier to access instant pleasure; social media likes quick entertainment, fast food, and online shopping. The constant pursuit of immediate rewards has weakened our patience and ability to endure discomfort, making us less resilient when faced with long-term challenges.

For example, when we sense an impending negative impact on the market, we first hoard items we feel may become in short supply. A notable example was toilet paper during the COVID-19 pandemic, influenced by information circulated on social media.

3. Mental Health and Emotional Fragility

Rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders have surged, particularly among younger generations. While awareness and destigmatization are positive developments, the normalization of fragility, rather than building emotional resilience, has made people more vulnerable to stressors that previous generations might have handled differently.

Even with the new emphasis on mental health, there is still a stigma in society regarding anything that even hints at a mental or emotional issue. Many are living with the fear that someone will find out they may have a weakness, yet some have overemphasized the ability of therapists to solve the problem, so confusion reigns supreme.

The key to fighting this is becoming self-aware of your fears, biases, and struggles so you can confront them. It is not easy but well worth the investment of time and analysis.

4. Reduced Face-to-Face Social Interaction

With the rise of digital communication, in-person interactions have declined. Social bonds and community networks, which historically played a vital role in emotional resilience, have weakened. This isolation makes people more fragile in the face of difficulties, as they lack strong, supportive social systems.

Face-to-face, while important, we also fear being alone, so the paradox leads to even more confusion and isolation. There is a lack of willingness to trust others, organizations, governments, or even religions. This adds to the chaos and makes us susceptible to manipulation by others who don’t have our best interests in mind. Trust is a two-way street; we can’t forget that it is earned and given. It constitutes neither a right nor an obligation.

5. Economic Instability and Job Insecurity

The traditional idea of stable careers has eroded, replaced by gig work, layoffs, and financial uncertainty. Economic stressors make individuals more anxious and risk-averse, reducing their ability to take bold steps or recover quickly from setbacks.

6. The Decline of Physical Toughness

Modern lifestyles have become increasingly sedentary, with fewer people engaging in physically demanding activities. Physical endurance is closely tied to mental resilience, and a lack of physical hardship contributes to a lower tolerance for discomfort and stress.

Some individuals engage in bullying in various aspects of their lives. If we allow them to influence us, they may use considerable effort to achieve their goal of gaining control. Our current administration uses this tactic daily, and we accept it.

7. The Influence of Victimhood Culture

While addressing real injustices, the influence of victimhood culture is important. However, there has been a growing trend of embracing victimhood as an identity. This ‘victimhood culture’ encourages individuals to see themselves as victims of societal or systemic issues, often at the expense of personal agency or resilience.

It’s important to note that this is not to diminish the experiences of those who have been victimized but rather to highlight the potential negative impact of adopting a victim mentality as a default response to challenges. It has become a method of making monetary gain, notoriety, or fame. It can become a choice that many voluntarily subscribe to and use to sink into a comfort zone.

Many have not made that choice, but they are forced to be victims because of the color of their skin, ethnic background, or sexual preference, so it is not a simple black-and-white issue.

This mindset can discourage people from taking proactive steps to overcome adversity, instead fostering a sense of helplessness and dependence on external solutions.

8. Information Overload and Decision Fatigue

We are constantly bombarded with information from social media, news, and digital platforms. The overwhelming flow of data contributes to anxiety, indecision, and an inability to focus, making people more susceptible to stress and less capable of handling pressure. Politicians can also contribute to this overload through their actions and policies, particularly when they engage in misinformation or create complex systems that are difficult for the average person to navigate.

I’m sorry, but we were endowed with a brain that allows us to learn, unlearn, reason, understand, and help each other. Too many want to delegate this to someone else. For example, when someone in government tells the press that there are many 150-year-old people still collecting Social Security, I see it as something that needs to be reasoned out. First, I don’t buy that there are any 150-year-old people alive; however, due to fraud, there may be those who are collecting in the name of someone dead but alive because of a very poorly managed system.

Politicians have created the issue over decades, and no single party is responsible. Both have added their spin over the decades, allowing unscrupulous minds to find and exploit loopholes. This is not a political issue; it is a process issue.

9. Breakdown of Traditional Support Structures

Families, religious institutions, and local communities once provided strong support systems that helped individuals navigate hardships. As these structures weaken, people are left to face challenges alone, leading to increased fragility.

All these support groups suffer from being human. Being human means we have weaknesses that can show up in any group. One simple one is greed, another is a lust for power and control, and others are rooted in biases such as confirmational and ethnic-driven devices.

While rebuilding these may not work today, we must find a way to counter these tendencies, coexist, thrive, and embrace diversity, inclusion, and equality. Contrary to many popular voices today, we do not live in bubbles, isolated from other groups, so we must find a way to manage our hatred, biases, and desires to dominate.

10. The Expectation of Constant Comfort

Modern conveniences have created an expectation that life should always be easy, convenient, and pain-free. When people encounter difficulties, even relatively small ones, they feel overwhelmed because they are not accustomed to discomfort.

At 78, I’ve learned that inconvenience often leads to remarkable progress. I have chosen to reinvent myself five times; each one was an adventure, and while challenging, very rewarding. We can make this choice and strive to strengthen our resolve.

Conclusion

While resilience remains an important goal, it is crucial to recognize the factors making individuals and societies more fragile. Overprotection, digital dependency, mental health struggles, and economic uncertainty are just some of the reasons fragility is on the rise. To cultivate resilience, we must address these underlying issues and create environments encouraging strength, adaptability, and personal growth. Change is possible, and it starts with us.