Present-Maxxing

By Shelby Arias Castanon

2026 arrived with many things, to say the least, but one thing it has brought along is a linguistic morsel called “friction-maxxing.” Despite endless IG reels, TikToks, YouTube tutorials, and, of course, ChatGPT promising the promethean deliverance of ease, Kathryn Jezer-Morton rather offered us another way in her article “In 2026, we are friction-maxxing” in The Cut. Her point: happiness and satisfaction lie in resistance not convenience and automation. Friction-maxxing is choosing the harder option that requires more time, more thought, more emotion, and, often, more presence. It is through the avoidance of friction, emotional and mental disturbance, that we lose our humanity. Jezer-Morton calls for a return to an analog approach to our daily life. Examples would include hand-written notes over AI summaries, reading a book rather than watching the movie, or walking to work rather than driving. 

I would like to call for an even more persephonic embodiment of “friction-maxxing;” while friction-maxxing employs more material and mental effort to derive satisfaction, I would like to offer its emotional and empowering sibling: “Present-maxxing."