Enough, By John Naish

John Naish's thesis is that we in the affluent West have more than enough of what we need, yet cannot stop gorging ourselves, both literally and metaphorically.

Having evolved in a world where there was never quite enough food, we are hard-wired to grab it whenever we get the chance; now we live in the midst of plenty but the instinct is still there. The result: growing obesity and ill-health.

We evolved to be curious about the world we live in; now, surrounded by information, we can't stop reading our emails, checking our texts, watching telly, surfing the net. The result: addled brains, short attention spans, and a great deal of wasted time.

Our instinctive need to compete, useful in dragging us out of the Stone Age, now forces us to work ever harder and longer. Result: stress, addictive drudgery, burnout. Our need to accumulate possessions has created a wasteful, consumerist society with disastrous consequences both for our souls and for the environment.

But, says, Naish, we can fight back. Our rational selves can overcome those lower-brain urges. If we follow the philosophy of "Enoughism", consciously limiting our consumption, there is hope for us yet.

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