Research shows that many of our modern problems, such as the increasing prevalence of mental health problems, arise from rapid technological progress and modernization. One theory that may help explain why we respond poorly to modern conditions despite the choice, security, and other benefits they provide is evolutionary maladaptation.

Mismatch occurs when an advanced adaptation, whether physical or psychological, does not match the environment.

Take moths and some species of night flies, for example. Because they needed to navigate in the dark, they evolved to use the moon to navigate. However, thanks to the invention of artificial lighting, many moths and flies are attracted to street lamps and indoor lighting.

The same thing happens with humans. A classic example is our “sweet tooth,” which drove our ancestors to seek out high-calorie foods in conditions of nutrient deficiency. This sweet tooth is out of step with today’s world, where food companies mass-produce foods loaded with refined sugar and fat, stealing their beneficial properties. Conclusion; tooth decay, obesity and diabetes.

The modern world is full of things that frustrate our once harmonious instincts. For example, humans evolved to live in family-based nomadic tribes of approximately 50 to 150 close-knit individuals. Our adaptive need to belong works well in such conditions. However, in big cities where hundreds of thousands of foreigners live, people can feel lonely and do not have many close friends.

Research has also shown that social animals experience competitive stress when kept in crowded spaces, leading to physical health consequences such as impaired immune function and reduced fertility. Like the animals in the overcrowding studies, people living in crowded cities may experience unprecedented levels of stress and tend to have fewer children.

Social inequality in modern societies also differs from the more egalitarian environment of hunter-gatherers. Humans have evolved to care about social status, which motivates us to close the status gap between ourselves and others.

But when social inequality is this great and the media regularly highlights people like Elon Musk who took the average American to achieve this wealth by working several million years for the average annual wage, our concerns about social status can lead to social status anxiety.

Social networks exacerbate problems with social comparisons. Because people tend to share the best aspects of themselves online, social media creates a distorted impression of reality that can make viewers feel worse about themselves. Measuring value through likes and followers also allows people to more accurately determine where they stand relative to others.

Several problematic trends can be discerned from this evolutionary inconsistency. For example, it is associated with competition and status anxiety, obsession with education, competition for prestigious jobs, and materialism. There is a growing trend towards “going broke to look rich” as people go into debt to buy things that give the impression of status.

People are also more likely to take risks when they feel they need to gain a competitive advantage. With the rising cost of living, people may find that the work they do is not only not enough to meet society’s expectations, but also not enough to enrich themselves.

A 2023 report from the CFA Institute Global Association of Investment Professionals noted that many Gen Zers are turning to risky investments like cryptocurrencies to cope. Fierce competition in today’s world can also lead people to dangerous plastic surgeries and weight loss regimes.

As people try to meet society’s expectations of successful adults, they appear to be rethinking their goals in life. Surveys of Gen Z and Millennial respondents found that the rising cost of living is causing these age groups to lower their career goals and give up on the idea of ​​owning a home, starting a family, or even finding a romantic partner.

A 2023 survey of 55,000 people born between 1981 and 2012 found that respondents were instead more focused on taking care of their mental and physical health.

When competition becomes too intense, people can internalize the pressure and feel anxious or depressed. Researchers attribute self-harm and depression to the fact that people feel they can no longer cope with the demands of modern society. These tendencies are especially common in countries with strong shame cultures, such as Japan and South Korea.

Research has shown that some externalizing responses can include anger at the perceived unfairness of a seemingly impossible-to-win competition, which can lead to cynicism, aggression, and hostility. This anger can be seen, for example, in private circles where men feel that they cannot find a romantic or sexual partner because the odds are unfairly stacked against them.

What can we do?

The evolutionary mismatch perspective proposes not that we completely revert to our ancestral way of life, but rather that we find ways to adjust our environment to better suit our evolutionary nature.

For example, we might consider how to create an architectural environment to reduce crowding or increase access to nature. In fact, immersion in nature, such as forest bathing (focusing on sensory interaction to connect with nature) and community gardening, can reduce stress and increase well-being.

Lifestyle changes aimed at reducing consumerism and exposure to mass and social media and focusing on meaningful work rather than job prestige are also likely to help. Some opposing trends, such as minimalism and mindfulness, point to a growing awareness that enjoying the little things can help us escape the pitfalls of modernity.

These are just some ideas. But appreciating the evolutionary basis of our problems and increasing awareness of the possibility of inconsistency can give us the chance to address them at their roots.