Today’s digital infrastructure is built to make life easier, save time, reduce hassle, and increase fun.
It helps us order groceries with a few taps, navigate traffic in real-time, instantly video call someone across the world, or binge entire TV series without leaving the couch. 73% of Europeans believe that the digitalization of public and private life is making their lives easier. And they are probably right when focusing on the short term; however, the instant access to fun and convenience can lead to the opposite effect in the long term.

Erik Scherder sharply underlines this risk in his book “Liever moe dan lui” (Rather tired than lazy) (2025). The Dutch professor of neuropsychology emphasises that one must make an effort to maintain the quality of one’s brain. According to him, our craving for comfort and the rise of AI mean we are increasingly spared both physical and mental effort. Yet, precisely those forms of effort, physical activity, deliberate practice, focused learning, are essential for keeping the brain healthy, resilient, and adaptive. Research he cites shows that regular physical activity stimulates the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for memory and learning, while sustained mental effort promotes neuroplasticity and cognitive reserve, helping us stay sharp and creative even at later ages.

So, while tools like ChatGPT can do your homework for you, what are you truly gaining? We have incredible technology at our fingertips, but the real question is: are we using it in a way that truly benefits us in the long run?