這個詞彙最初僅限於心理學領域，用以幫助人們應對逆境，但自疫情爆發以來，它在經濟學家、企業執行長和央行官員之間大受歡迎。研究甚至指出，為了追求經濟韌性而放棄全球貿易，有時反而會損害公民的福祉。這種對韌性的日益關注，凸顯了人們對未來的廣泛生存恐懼與不確定性，其中也包含了人工智慧可能取代中產階級勞動力的擔憂。
儘管毅力與未雨綢繆仍然是寶貴的特質，但持續讚頌韌性可能意味著社會已經變得過度脆弱，或是將長期的危機狀態視為常態，而非追求真正的進步。作者期盼這個強調韌性的時代只是暫時的，並終將為真正的繁榮與創新鋪路，創造出一個不再需要將韌性視為必需品或值得讚揚的世界。
In today's society, the word "resilience" has become ubiquitously overused, applied to everything from soldiers in war to consumers, supply chains, and climate change. However, this widespread phenomenon reflects a pessimistic reality, suggesting that our world is becoming increasingly fragile, unpredictable, and difficult, where merely "muddling through" has become the best outcome we can hope for.
Originally confined to the field of psychology to help individuals cope with adversity, the term has surged in popularity among economists, CEOs, and central bankers since the pandemic. Research even indicates that prioritizing economic resilience over global trade can sometimes harm citizen welfare. This growing focus on resilience highlights a widespread existential dread and uncertainty about the future, including concerns that artificial intelligence might displace the middle-class workforce.
While grit and preparedness remain valuable traits, the constant celebration of resilience may imply that society has become overly fragile or has normalized a state of perpetual crisis instead of pursuing genuine progress. The author hopes this era of resilience is merely temporary and will eventually pave the way for true prosperity and innovation, creating a world where resilience is no longer a necessity or something that needs to be praised.