#Intrinsicmotivation

A growing body of research, echoed by recent health and happiness studies, questions society’s fixation on living an “interesting” life. In Thailand, social media culture and workplace norms push people to showcase dramatic milestones and enviable adventures. Yet evidence suggests lasting satisfaction often comes from lives that appear ordinary on the surface.

The discussion highlights how fear of “falling behind” has become widespread. People switch jobs not just for advancement, but to avoid the impression of stagnation. Travel choices are increasingly made for social media appeal, and the question “What do you do?” now serves as a social test—rewarding those who earn admiration.

A growing wave of research, echoed in a recent VegOut Magazine article, challenges our cultural obsession with living an “interesting” life. While social media and workplace dynamics pressure individuals to continually impress others with enviable experiences and dramatic career milestones, evidence suggests that true satisfaction may come from lives that—on the surface—seem profoundly ordinary.

As the article highlights, anxiety about “falling behind” has reached epidemic levels. This pressure manifests in increasingly common behaviors, such as job-hopping among young professionals not out of dissatisfaction, but to avoid being seen as unambitious. Many people choose vacation destinations with Instagram in mind, and the question “What do you do?” has become a social test, rewarding only those who can elicit admiration.