To get an idea of what the status quo represents, take a look at the list below. This list and its variations represent a safe, comfortable life. The list is not complete, and you could probably add a few items to it based on your own experiences or those of other people you know.

Just as few people will criticize you for jumping off the bridge when everyone else is doing it, this kind of life insulates you from challenge and risk. It’s also a life of quiet desperation that leaves you with a nagging question in the back of your brain: “Is this all there is? Did I miss something somewhere?”