

Revealed preferences aren't always accurate - adamzerner
http://lesswrong.com/lw/1lb/are_wireheads_happy/

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webmaven
The application of this line of thought to activities such as obsessively
checking email (or HN, for that matter) rather than working on your
startup/open source project/big idea/ etc. are potentially interesting.

For that matter, the implications for creating addictive experiences (eg.
Farmville) rather than rewarding ones probably have implications for long term
sustainability of business models, though not as much as I'd like (eg.
cigarette companies).

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Sharlin
It says some quite uncomfortable things about the whole consumerism-based
economy we have going on. A friend wondered just today how the games you don't
already own can be so much more attractive than the ones you already do...

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asdfologist
"The grass is greener" mentality goes beyond consumerism...

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Sharlin
True. Of course consumerism wouldn't probably even exist as a concept if our
brains weren't somehow prewired to the "gotta catch'em all" mentality.
Probably various hunter-gatherer adaptations at work.

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eli_gottlieb
>Of course consumerism wouldn't probably even exist as a concept if our brains
weren't somehow prewired to the "gotta catch'em all" mentality.

Avoid projecting onto human nature the peculiarities of your own society.

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andybak
I absolutely love the style and subject matter on lesswrong. Even if they
sometimes descend into the equivalent of 'how many angels can dance on the
head of a pin' debates.

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kirab
Actually, Buddha figured this out 2500 years ago :) He came to the conclusion
that liking and enjoying things is great, you should do it all the time and
wanting things will cause grief and you should try to stop wanting things.

