#Values

A thought-provoking new report published on July 6, 2025, by a leading behavioral expert in Psychology Today reveals that we are all born with certain innate dispositions—what the author calls “basic humanity”—and, as we grow, we learn to navigate or sometimes contradict these primal instincts. The research calls attention to the fundamental and often conflicting drives that shape us as humans and offers essential insights into how these inner tensions influence personal well-being and social behavior.

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.

Thailand finds itself at a crossroads of rapid social change: modern families are now grappling with questions of how best to raise children, as Western influences blend with longstanding Thai cultural traditions. A recent opinion published in The Guardian, penned by a grandparent observing the stark contrasts between parenting in Spain and the UK, has ignited fresh debate about “child-centred” parenting, a model increasingly popular across Thailand’s middle class. The writer argues that the Spanish “family-centred” approach nurtures happier, more grounded children compared to English-style “child-centredness,” which may inadvertently fuel anxiety and dependency. This raises urgent questions for Thai families—should we reconsider where the family, rather than the child, stands at the heart of our values?