The Comfort Crisis

By: Michael Easter

Format: Physical Book

Completed: 3/28/2023

What's it about: Easter discusses how society has fundamentally changed from what our ancestors experienced from a state of constant discomfort to a state of constant comfort. He does this intertwining the science over the course of a grueling 33 day mountain hunt of migrating Caribou in the Brooks Range of Alaska.

Main Takeaway: This book was outstanding and is a recommended read for anyone. A both informative and entertaining book, featuring citations from seemingly every fitness and health personality I am a fan of, does much to explain modern life. Everything that we seem to have created comfort in (our food, sleep, soft chairs, temperature controls, removal of boredom, easy travel, constant sound) are both ancestrally inconsistent but also harmful for our bodies. We were meant to struggle. Meant to be dirty, cold, hungry, worn out, and sleep on a hard ground. We struggle in life... because we have removed all struggles. People of 200 years ago were generally not happier than modern humans. Nor is GDP (past a marker of general survival) a helpful marker for happiness. Thus, what makes a human happy should be reconsidered. I take away that cold, hunger, struggle, and effort are not only consistent with past life, but also important for wellness and health. I want people around me who appreciate this idea!