Too Much Comfort Produces Weakness

Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.

• Michael Hopf

As stressors can provide strength to antifragile systems, conversely, a lack of stressors can lead to weakness.

Examples

• Roman statesman Cato the Censor saw all comfort as weakness. If things were too easy he worried about a weakening of the will.
• A lack of strength training or other exercise leads to weakness in muscles.
• Horses compete better against strong competition than they do against weaker horses. They need the challenge to thrive.