Is Convenience Making Us Miserable?

What Is ‘Friction-Maxxing’?

A new (and very buzzy) term making the rounds in early 2026 is friction-maxxing — the idea that intentionally choosing inconvenience might actually make us happier, more capable humans. Popularized by a piece in The Cut, friction-maxxing is essentially the rebranding of what used to be called “character-building”: doing things the hard way on purpose.

The premise is simple. Modern life has removed nearly every obstacle. Food arrives with a tap. Answers appear instantly. Work, socializing, and problem-solving have been smoothed into frictionless experiences. While convenient, critics argue this constant ease strips us of satisfaction, resilience, and even adulthood itself.

Why Convenience Might Be Making Us Miserable

Advocates argue that tools like food delivery apps, location sharing, and generative AI don’t just save time — they quietly rob us of effort. And effort, it turns out, is where meaning lives. Writing an essay yourself, cooking a meal from scratch, or navigating a problem without shortcuts produces a deeper sense of accomplishment than outsourcing the task to technology.

In this view, convenience doesn’t liberate us — it infantilizes us. When everything is easy, nothing feels earned.

What Friction-Maxxing Looks Like in Real Life

Examples range from mild to mildly unhinged: sending kids on errands knowing they’ll mess up, inviting guests over without deep-cleaning, or choosing to struggle through tasks instead of automating them. The point isn’t suffering — it’s growth. Small doses of difficulty help rebuild confidence, perseverance, and self-trust.

Is This Just Nostalgia in Disguise?

Critics note the obvious contradiction: society has always embraced convenience, from agriculture to refrigeration to the printing press. Drawing the line at Uber Eats and AI can feel arbitrary. Still, supporters argue friction-maxxing isn’t about rejecting progress — it’s about selectively choosing effort where it still matters.