From sleep scores to step counts, even our joy is being tracked. But who is all this “self-improvement” really for?
In this episode, Kristin and Laura ask what happens when being human stops being the goal and starts being a problem to fix. They unpack the rise of over-optimization, how capitalism convinced us we’re machines, and why even therapy isn’t safe from performance culture. Together, they explore:
• The history of optimization — from factory floors to Fitbits
• Why rest, joy, and creativity feel “unproductive”
• How wellness culture became capitalism in disguise
• Why therapy doesn’t work when it mimics the systems we’re trying to survive
• How to reclaim unoptimized joy, boredom, and being for the sake of being
This is a call to step off the treadmill, turn off the tracker, and return to what makes us human. Even if it’s messy. Especially because it’s messy.
Socials: https://linktr.ee/butwhy.pod
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