بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Table of contents:
1) What is instant gratification?
2) Why people rely so much on instant gratification
We live in an age where instantly achieving gratification has become a norm. But why do people do such a thing, what’s the consequence, and how to deal with them? Let’s have a look...
1) What is instant gratification?
As said by Chris Millas:
Instant gratification refers to human tendency to prioritize short-term pleasures over long-term benefits.
This can take place in different forms like social media, video games, fast foods, etc.
E.g., A boy after studying for an exam decides to take a break, but instead of actually giving his body some rest & refreshment, all he does is scroll social media. His reliance isn’t actually on the app but on that instant gratification that it’s giving.
2) Why people rely so much on instant gratification?
The answer is simple: they have lost their conscience due to their uncontrolled desire to seek pleasure and aren’t able to judge between what’s good or bad for them. What most of us truly seek is pleasures—which leads one to such addictively toxic traps of instant gratification.
We first scrolls, followed up by other, then other, and the cycle repeats.
This has a connection with the neuromechanics of our brain. There is a neurotransmitter called dopamine that gives us the motivation to pursue what we are doing (even if it’s negative).
Note: I explained it in a very shallow way otherwise dopamine and its role deserve a whole blog of its own for the sake of justice.
3) Why Instant Gratification is Bad?
The worst enemy of intellect is desire for instant pleasure.
Nahjulbalagah, Sermon 176
Instant gratification seems pleasing and great in the first sight, as whatever you desire, you get it instantly, even if it's virtual. But looking at the bigger picture, one with intellect will know how bad it really is.
As explained earlier in brief, it increases our dopamine levels, something what scientists call dopamine. There are peaks of dopamine reached by specific stuff or actions which ultimately increases the baseline dopamine level after the stuff/action is stopped the consequence of which is the craving for even more dopamine spiking stuff/action. Over time, it creates an addiction for such stuff, (social media, fast food, etc.), and also decreases satisfaction from regular activities. The harms don't end here. This indulgence further leads to reduced empathy, increased overwhelming while doing work, numbness in brain, increased anxiety, even ADHD in some cases, and so on...
4) What to do now?
“Hell is surrounded by desires, and paradise is surrounded by hardships.”
Sahih al-Bukhari
The desire here, (in our case), is pursuit of instant gratification, and hardship is its opposite, delayed gratification.
Easier to say than practice, delayed gratification is in its own self a skill that a Muslim must master in order to prosper in both worlds and also enjoy simple stuff in life. This was further proved by the Marshmallow Experiment.
The Stanford marshmallow experiment was a study on delayed gratification in 1970 led by psychologist Walter Mischel, a professor at Stanford University.In this study, a child was offered a choice between one small but immediate reward, or two small rewards if they waited for a period of time. During this time, the researcher left the child in a room with a single marshmallow for about 15 minutes and then returned. If they did not eat the marshmallow, the reward was either another marshmallow or pretzel stick, depending on the child's preference. In follow-up studies, the researchers found that children who were able to wait longer for the preferred rewards tended to have better life outcomes, as measured by SAT scores,educational attainment,body mass index (BMI), and other life measures.
Although later version of this experiment shows a difference in outcome for adults, but the main idea is clear.
Delayed gratification = long-term happiness.
Instant gratification = short-term pleasures.
To begin your practice:
- Identify your triggers that lead you to spontaneously do something which gives you instant gratification. For that, a humble pen and paper can suffice to write your thoughts and identify your weakness.
2. Take a step back from your daily cheap pleasure. Instead of scrolling for 2 hours, scroll for 1.5 hours. The next day, 1 hour, and so on till you're finally able to master yourself.
3. Restrain your speech, especially the vulgar words: Filter out the vulgar, abusive, pathetic, and useless words from your speech.
4. Avoid over-stimulation: As said earlier, you can start slow by taking one step back at a time.
Also read:Over-stimulation and its harms.
5. Practice Growth Mindset
Also read: What is growth mindset?
6. Seek help through Patience and Prayer
Also read: How to improve namaz
5) Conclusion
In the pursuit of fleeting pleasures, we often overlook the immense rewards of delayed gratification. While instant gratification might provide short-term comfort, its long-term consequences can harm mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. By practicing self-control, understanding the triggers of our habits, and gradually replacing harmful patterns with positive ones, we can build resilience and enjoy lasting happiness. Remember, true success lies in embracing challenges and mastering the art of patience
اللهم مُصَرِّفَ الْقُلُوْبِ صَرِّفْ قُلُوْبَنَا عَلَى طَاعتِكَ
O Allah! Controller of the hearts, direct our hearts to Your obedience
Ameen.
Comment down any question or dought you have regarding islam and its doctrines. Future blogs will inshallah include the solution to them ☺️
Fiqh & hadith related doughts will be explained by ulema of the specific fields inshallah
0 Comments