Can everything in life be outsourced?

Sep 13

Although material wealth has increased and the outsourcing industry has developed, our spiritual world is shrinking. I think outsourcing should be done in moderation, after all, the core of life is actually made up of those moments that cannot be outsourced.

In the past three years, the vegetables I ate all came from my own vegetable garden, which is surrounded by bamboo and ginkgo trees. No chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used, and the fruits and leaves are shared with insects and wild birds. In the summer, loofah and okra grow lushly. I picked a few and cooked them in clear water. They are sweet and tender.

For the past three years, the vegetables I've eaten have all come from my own garden, surrounded by bamboo and ginkgo groves. No chemical fertilizers, no pesticides—just sharing the produce with insects and wild birds. In the summer, the loofah and okra grow abundantly. A quick harvest and a simple boil in fresh water reveal their natural sweetness and tenderness.

It is difficult to buy such safe vegetables in the market, whether fresh or cooked. In order to increase production and profits, large-scale growers cannot avoid harmful fertilizers and pesticides. Many individual farmers abuse fertilizers and pesticides due to lack of knowledge; some transporters spray carcinogenic formalin to ensure that vegetables can maintain their appearance in hot weather... Even vegetables with organic labels cannot be guaranteed to be 100% organic (including the EU and the United States). The planting process itself is difficult to supervise, and many fertilizers and pesticides may still be used. In addition, there are many tricks in organic certification in some areas. Take-out cannot avoid "technology and hard work". In order to prevent customers from having diarrhea after eating rotten food, some businesses even put gentamicin, a prescription drug that causes deafness. Therefore, if you want to eat safe food, try not to outsource. The more outsourcing links, the higher the safety risks.

It's almost impossible to find such safe vegetables in the market, whether fresh or cooked. Large-scale producers, driven by yield and profit, can't avoid harmful fertilizers and pesticides. Many small farmers overuse chemicals due to lack of knowledge. Some transporters even spray carcinogenic formaldehyde to maintain the appearance of vegetables during hot weather. Even organic-labeled vegetables, in both the EU and the US, can't guarantee 100% organic purity. The growing process is hard to regulate, and non-synthetic fertilizers and pesticides are often used, with some certifications being riddled with loopholes. As for takeout food, it's often worse: in some cases, restaurants add dangerous chemicals like gentamicin, a prescription drug that can cause deafness, to prevent customers from getting food poisoning. So, if you want truly safe food, it's better not to outsource it. The more you outsource, the higher the risk.

Industrial society has indeed brought some conveniences, allowing individuals to outsource their private lives, saving time on chores and improving the efficiency of specialized division of labor. However, I can't help but wonder, is it better to outsource private life to a higher degree? Can everything in life be outsourced?

The industrial age has undoubtedly brought us convenience, allowing individuals to outsource parts of their personal lives, saving time for chores, and increasing efficiency through specialization. But it begs the question: Is more outsourcing always better? Can everything in life be outsourced?

First of all, activities such as fitness cannot be outsourced. Even if you hire a well-trained coach, no one can train for you. Only if you do the exercises yourself can you have peach buttocks and vest lines.

First, physical activities like exercise can't be outsourced. Even with a well-trained coach, no one can work out for you. Only by doing the exercises yourself will you see the results—stronger muscles, a toned body.

Second, the same is true for family relationships and emotional companionship. Parents are busy making a living and have to outsource their children's education to schools and training institutions, but no one can replace the high-quality companionship of parents. Parents play a key role in shaping the character of their children. The worst result of excessive outsourcing is alienation between parents and children. Intimate relationships cannot be outsourced, and no amount of expensive gifts can make up for the lost time.

Second, family relationships and emotional connection are in the same boat. Busy parents often outsource their children's education to schools and training centers, but nothing can replace the quality time that only parents can provide. Parents play a critical role in shaping their children's character, and too much outsourcing can lead to a distant parent-child relationship. The same goes for romantic relationships—no amount of expensive gifts can make up for the absence of time spent together.

Third, for adults, once some extremely personal matters are outsourced, they may doubt the meaning of their existence. This is why once the elderly are unable to take care of themselves, the most direct feeling is that they have lost their dignity. Unless they have no other choice, the elderly will always insist on independent urination and defecation.

Third, for adults, outsourcing deeply personal tasks can lead to a loss of meaning in life. That's why many elderly people insist on maintaining their independence for as long as possible. When they can no longer take care of themselves, the most immediate feeling is a loss of dignity. Most seniors will hold on to their independence, even when it comes to something as basic as using the bathroom on their own.

Fourth, the same applies to personal branding. It is like an autobiography. If you outsource the creative process, you are likely to lose your unique voice. After all, no one has walked the same path as you in your shoes. If you hand over your story to others to write, what you end up with may be a hodgepodge.

Fourth, personal branding follows the same logic. It's like an autobiography. If you outsource the creative process, you might lose your unique voice. After all, no one has walked the exact same path in your shoes. Handing over your story for someone else to write might leave you with something unrecognizable.

Sociologist Hochschild once said that when we outsource many aspects of life and even private emotions to outsiders, we are no longer the protagonists of life, and we lose the fun of life and emotional connection. Sadly, the time saved is not converted into personal enjoyment and leisure, but is invested in more industrial production in pursuit of more economic benefits.

Sociologist Arlie Hochschild once pointed out that when we outsource much of our lives—even our emotions—to others, we are no longer the protagonists of our own lives. We lose the joy of living and the depth of emotional connection. Ironically, the time saved through outsourcing isn't spent on personal leisure or enjoyment. Instead, it's often reinvested into more industrial production, chasing even higher economic gains.

The lack of time has provided an opportunity for consumerism. While people earn more money, they also fall into the trap of revenge consumption, trying to make up for the lost time and emotional connection. However, this endless busyness and consumption does not bring real satisfaction. People have neither time to enjoy life nor can they save a few dollars in their accounts - most people have become "poor busy people".

This time scarcity feeds consumerism. People, while earning more money, fall into the trap of revenge spending, trying to compensate for the time and emotional connections they've lost. Yet, this endless cycle of work and consumption brings no real fulfillment. People have neither time to enjoy life, nor money left in their bank accounts—most end up as “busy and broke.”

Although material wealth has increased and the outsourcing industry has developed, our spiritual world is shrinking. I think outsourcing still needs to be done in moderation. After all, the core of life is actually made up of those moments that cannot be outsourced - vegetables picked by hand, sweat from sports, high-quality companionship, writing of self-story... While enjoying modern conveniences, we must also reserve time to return to the essence of life. In the end, life is not an outsourcing competition, but a journey of self-creation.

Even though our material wealth has increased and the outsourcing industry has expanded, our spiritual world has shrunk. I believe outsourcing has its limits. Life's core moments are made up of things that cannot be outsourced—the vegetables you pick with your own hands, the sweat you shed during exercise, the quality time spent with loved ones, and the stories you write about yourself. While we enjoy the conveniences of modern life, we should also reserve time to reconnect with life's essence. In the end, life isn't a race to outsource everything—it's journey of self-creation.

👧 About Me：

🌟 English Education Blogger / Rural Digital Nomad Education Content Creator / Rural Digital Nomad

🌟 Former Fortune 500 Company Overseas Education Project Manager

🌟 Former Hong Kong SCMP Financial Reporter Ex-South China Morning Post (SCMP) Reporter

🌟 Boston University, Master of Journalism

🌟 2015 APEC Meetings China Youth Delegate

🌟 Top 10 Speakers, 2016 China's FLTRP Cup National English Debate

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