The Problem of Now: Unpacking the Unpleasant Realities of Present Moment Living and the Dirty Garage

This episode critically examines the popular self-help advice to "live in the now," acknowledging its inherent truth regarding the alleviation of depression and anxiety, but arguing that this counsel is incomplete and overlooks significant challenges. The host, Dr. Orion Teraban, posits that while the past and future are mental constructs, the present moment, when truly embraced without judgment or abstract thought, is primarily a sensuous or sensual experience. This perspective immediately highlights a societal disconnect, as modern culture often devalues sensuality in favor of abstract meaning and purpose.

The core problem, according to the episode, is that most people's immediate sensory environments are not inherently pleasant. Unlike idealized scenarios of comfort and pleasure, everyday life often presents sights, sounds, and feelings that are mundane, uncomfortable, or even boring. Consequently, individuals tend to use their capacities for judgment, meaning-making, and abstract thought to mentally "time travel" into the past or future, effectively covering up or escaping the unpleasantness of their immediate sensuous experience, which they would prefer not to feel.

This aversion to the present moment creates a detrimental positive feedback loop, metaphorically illustrated by the "dirty garage." Just as one avoids cleaning a messy garage, making it progressively worse and less inviting, people's avoidance of their unpleasant present disincentivizes them from expending the effort to improve their immediate environments. A significant, often overlooked, aspect of the unpleasantness of the present moment is profound boredom, which humans find highly aversive. The episode references practices like Zen Buddhism and Zazen, which directly confront this boredom, suggesting that sustained engagement can lead to sublime sensory attunement, much like developing a refined palate.

Ultimately, the podcast concludes that living in the present moment is not a miraculous, immediate solution to all problems but rather a difficult, unpleasant, and effortful process, akin to finally cleaning that long-avoided dirty garage. While challenging, this work is crucial for developing a richer "palate for life," enabling reality-based changes to one's environment, and reducing the constant, low-grade psychic stress caused by resistance. The episode cautions against self-help gurus who oversimplify this journey, emphasizing that "what we resist persists" and that true engagement with the present requires confronting discomfort and boredom head-on for long-term benefit.

"According to these thinkers, so much of our depression and anxiety is due to the fact that we spend most of our time ruminating about the past or worrying about the future."

"Living in the present moment is a very sensuous or sensual experience."

"the problem with experiencing the present moment sensually is that most people's immediate environment is not particularly pleasant to experience."

"So what people do is use their judgments and their meanings and they time travel in their minds into the past or into the future in order on some level to cover up the unpleasantness of their immediate sensuous experience which they would prefer not to feel."

"Unfortunately, this aversion to sensuous experience of the present moment can make a positive feedback loop in that it can disincentivize people from expending the effort to make their immediate environments more pleasant to experience."

"The present moment is incredibly boring. It's so boring."

"Beginning to live in the present moment is like finally attending to the garage that you've been avoiding for years. It's going to be difficult and unpleasant and effortful."

"What we resist persists."

"Living in the here and now is not going to miraculously solve all of your problems."