We've talked some about the concept of convenience over the past couple of months. I have mentioned that there is always a cost to something being convenient. I would like to dig a little deeper with you all on this, and see where it takes us.
So, is quality of the product the only thing that suffers when you make convenience a top priority? I'm sure we'd all agree that the "good things" that come to those who wait are the products themselves. So we pretty much understand the concept that something is most likely not as good if I get it faster and easier.
What else could suffer, other than the product itself? Is it possible that our character might take a blow? I would argue that there are certain virtues that run counter to things being convenient and easy. Patience is a pretty obvious one. If I never have to wait for the things that I want, do I develop a lot of patience? In my experience, the people who are the most impatient are the people who live a fast-paced, convenience driven lifestyle. They come into the coffee shop on their cell phone (of course attached to their ear, how convenient!!), sending emails with one hand and paying for the drink with the other. If something goes wrong and that person has to wait, you better believe they're not the most patient.
The people who live the most convenience driven lifestyles are often more bitter, and more stressed. This could be in part b/c all of their experiences are not as full as they could be, since they want to cram more in, so they end up feeling more empty.
So convenience stands in opposition to qualities that can grow your character into a person who will actually enjoy life and the people around you much more.
Mandy and I just got a puppy dog last week, and we're starting to train her. Of course puppies are patient naturally, right?? Obviously not, Mandy and I always have to hold her (Ivy) back until it's the right time, before we finally let her get what she wants. We try to teach her things b/c we know it's important for her to not feel she can always get her way, right away. The problem is, our culture doesn't keep this teaching going, it usually fosters the opposite mindset in us. If I have a coffee shop and you tell me that I could make tons more money by adding a drive-thru, b/c people want that convenience... would I say "No, make the public learn to be patient, that's better in the long run." I would of course take every advantage in getting more money without thought one for how this effects people's character.
Who's job is it to train us? It's certainly not McDonalds (or if it was, they're fired). Please share what you all are thinking when you read this stuff, I need to grow from your thoughts.
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6 comments:
I think there are two topics at issue in your post: convenience and instant gratification. I think there making a child wait for something they're demanding is about delaying gratification, not denying convenience. Buying a gallon of milk at the corner story (for $2 more than at Cub Foods) is about convenience, not instant gratification. I think the price of convenience is often money and quantity. I think the cost of immediate gratification is much more serious.
Think about the high-school guy who is desperately trying to get into his girlfriends pants. He wants immediate gratification even though it's not exactly convenient to try to convince her that this is a good idea. The, um, stereotypical teenage-boy alternative is probably much, much more convenient, but he wants the better gratification and he wants it now instead of waiting until he's older and/or married. In that case, the cost of immediate gratification is paid by both the boy- and girlfriend.
Maybe I'm missing the issue, but it seems like most of the examples (short of drive-throughs) have more to do with immediate gratification than convenience.
I'm on the school of thought that it's the parents' job. But that's because I'm Republican. If I were a liberal, I'm sure I'd say that it's the schools' jobs and that it takes a village, or that it should be up to the children whether they want instant gratification because who are we to judge. (Yes, that was an invitation for a little conservative vs. liberal fightin'.)
When baby-sitting, I insist on delaying gratification because I think kids get what they want right away because parents don't want to do anything that might make the kid cry. Delaying a child's gratification is hard to do. They cry. They say you hate them. It's so easy to give in, but you do the children a disservice, I think. The world will let them have instant gratification, but hopefully they'll learn at home that the returns on delayed gratification are better.
OK, break time is over. Back to work. :)
(FYI, and you can delete this after reading this, Benj can tell you who I am.)
Well I agree that instant gratification is also an issue, and of course I agree with your sentiments regarding it. But I feel that convenience is there to support our instant gratification mindset. If something is inconvenient, it usually takes longer which goes counter to our I.G. thinking. Right?
I'm not sure why you would consider the hands free cell phone to not be an example of an item marketed specifically for convenience. My point is, you can't have instant gratification if things are inconvenient, so they are tied together. I think it's important b/c most people acknowledge instant gratification mindset as a somewhat spoiled one. yet, we fail to make the connection with our drive towards convenience.
I of course agree that this training starts at the home with the parents. But we're talking about training adults here, not children. we understand that children need this training and development. But we don't feel that it's necessary for us as adults to have an authority guiding us towards "higher" values. Have we really learned enough to be left to our own devices? Is that best? Just curious.
p.s. i can't wait for benjie to tell me, please relieve the suspense by revealing your elusive identity.
Benjie, just to probe a bit further... why is spanking the only way we can conceive of keeping adults disciplined? The government actually has several laws that discipline adults for stupid behavior that hurts nobody but themselves, which I think is fascinating. The helmet law, for example. If you are on a motorbike without a helmet, you could get a ticket. It's your stupid fault since you know better, but the law still decides to step in and take a more parental/protective role. Drugs are another example.
Basically, we understand the concept of the law protecting people from themselves. But we don't take that and apply it to character. I want to know why not, and if it would be ok to do that.
p.s. I hope to see you all tonight.
At Green Leaf, I have customers every day telling me "what you need is a drive thru..."
But I believe there is something better than convenience in this world. And that is human interaction. I want to talk to my customers face to face. I'm not willing to trade knowing my customers by face and name and having real interactions with them for "convenience"...
Contrary to what most of my customers seem to think...I AM NOT TRYING to be Starbucks or to offer the same conveniences...
I believe that there is something better to offer.
Maybe not MORE CONVENIENT...
but MORE.
But I guess the idea that there could be something better than "convenient" just doesn't ring true to everyone...
I completely agree with you Jill. They don't understand the trade off. To them, they think that if you had the drive thru it would provide the convenience for those who wanted it, but you could still come in and get the human interaction if you want that also. But, what I've realized is that if given the option, people will choose the convenience more often because they don't truly understand the value of what they miss out on.
What you provide at Green Leaf is a lot more than a cup of coffee, yet that is all they would receive if you had a drive thru for them to go through. I'm so glad that some business owners like yourself are not selling out to the desires of an often greedy and short sighted public. It's an example of how we as adults can impart our discernment on those around us. You're not forcing anybody to come there, and if they want a drive thru that badly they can go to the Dunkin' Donuts up the road (some probably will if they're in that big of a hurry). I think the fact that you have that knowledge and refuse to change the business is inspirational and challenging.
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