Justifying Inconvenience
What would you choose between convenience and inconvenience?
According to Macmillan dictionary, convenience is defined as “a condition that makes it easier to do something and helps you to avoid wasting time or effort.” Convenience stores are great examples to reduce our time. We can buy food, drink and even stationery there. We can also pay bills and pick up items of products ordered online. The need for daily necessities can be met easily in one store.
However, we can save money if we go to another store which is a little farther, where we may purchase less because of the shopping list we make before going. Inconvenience may offer an opportunity for us to think more deeply and act carefully. In fact, it is my belief that we should embrace inconvenience instead of convenience in life.
Convenience may increase a heavy dependence, leading to addiction. Our cell phones are such wonderful devices that we use them every day, every waking moment. Originally, long time ago, they were for communication alone, and now they are used for information, entertainment, education, etc. In the past, we had different tools for specific functions; nowadays we have all in one: phones, encyclopedia, video game consoles, various kinds of books, banking accounts, cameras, maps, and music and movie players, to name just a few. Not only children but also adults grow more or less addicted to cell phone use.
Some of us are becoming aware of the addiction and struggling to fight, yet it is just too convenient to resist. After all, who would like to have a bulky dictionary if he or she can google online? Wait. I would like to. Consulting a print dictionary allows for serendipity. We never know what new words or interesting information we will stumble upon when opening a dictionary to a two-page spread. Inconvenience holds surprises in life as long as we shift our perspective on it.
When we are used to choosing an easy and convenient way, we are more likely to bypass anything that requires great time and effort, such as face-to-face communication and building a relationship. Social media have helped connection much easier, but people feel lonelier, more isolated, and more vulnerable. Human relationships are rich, complicated and demanding, and we use an easy solution to clean them up with technology.
Sherry Turkle, TED talker of Connected Alone Together, claims that we shortchange ourselves by sacrificing face-to-face conversation for mere online connection. “And over time, we seem to forget this, or we seem to stop caring.” Conversations are risky and troublesome. We might hesitate, lose our words or make mistakes. They are real, though. They are the moments we reveal our true selves and develop friendship. Online messaging under our control provides instant connection. Nevertheless, it cannot replace real attachments — they are hard yet fulfilling relationships.
Inconvenience is the cost of inherent virtues and character, like patience, tolerance and perseverance. When we have a new-born baby to take care of, we take the trouble to feed (or breastfeed) the child, change the diaper, and even wake up (or are awaken) to check the baby’s breath at midnight.
Also, an easy way to babysit a child is to adopt an I-pad. We feel relieved since we can have our own free time for the short term. In the long run, however, the lack of real human interaction would negatively impact him or her on the emotional development, problem solving and social skills. Instant gratification causes more frustration and depression afterwards.
The kid may learn some knowledge from the screen, but not empathy and kindness in life. Love is expressed when someone suffers the inconvenience to take responsibility with patience.
Thomas L. Friedman in his book Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations urges that we should purposely “be late” — “we should pause to appreciate the amazing historical epoch we’re passing through and to reflect on its possibilities and dangers.” Supporting his viewpoint, I further suggest that we should stop to appreciate the inconveniences in life — they can be blessings under disguise. They are meant for serendipity, relationship, and character. Next time when we encounter some inconveniences, let’s embrace them with all our heart.
