Tower and Town, April 2022

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The Danger Of Convenience

Let’s say that you are in the gym. There’s a puddle of sweat below you on the floor. You feel thirsty, so you take a break, and look for some water. However, the only thing you can find is a vending machine selling plastic bottles of water for a ridiculous price. You end up buying the water and continue to work out. This right here is an example of convenience. And it is way more dangerous than you’d expect.

I’m sure that you’ve heard of a convenience store - there are 47,000 stores here in England. However, little did you know that they are the work of the devil. They exploit their location to sell needed everyday items such as coffee, vegetables, fruit, and more for prices that are more expensive than your average supermarket. However, very few people take notice of this, and instead appreciate the shop solely because it happens to be close to them.

The same thing also applies to vending machines. This is because they are in almost every public centre everywhere, and they exploit their location to sell overpriced sweets, snacks, and drinks. A well-placed vending machine can take in up to £100 per week, so the profit margins can be huge.

Convenience also removes us from growing and making our own food, baking bread, sewing clothes, so we are more inclined to waste. The rise of convenience foods has led to poor nutrition and failing health. Because sometimes we cannot be bothered to do simple things, we have slowly become lazier and less bothered because we no longer must make food from scratch, and there is now far less incentive to do so now.

Now, this all begins through temptation, it lures us in. For example, even though you can get way better value at a cheaper shop, we simply cannot be asked to do these tasks that take a bit longer. This is a prime example of sloth. This is how we fall for one of the most devious traps on the planet. Ever since the first convenience store opened in Dallas, Texas in 1927, it’s been downhill from there for our slothful habits.

Convenience is about minimizing the mental resources, the mental exertion, required to choose among the options that express ourselves. Convenience is one-click, one-stop shopping, the seamless experience of “plug and play.” The ideal is personal preference with no effort.

We fall into the trap of convenience because it offers some measure of relief from the business of work, commuting, and other obligations. So, when the time comes to fulfil wants, convenience becomes even more prized. We don't want to "work" at something in our free time. Shopping and e-commerce should be fast and easy.

This whole problem was first commonly available convenience foods were canned goods, which were developed in the 19th century for military purposes. The first modernised vending machine was invented in 1883 by Percival Everett to sell postcards in France. The little tins made it easy to store, transport and prepare food on the battlefield. And ever since then, it has all been a slippery slope.

Please remember the danger of convenience.

TDS