Comment on What's the endgame when the rich have all the money?
Azzu@lemm.ee 2 days agoOur behaviors are really quite simple. It has been shown a few times that our logical explanations for how we decide on our behavior are mostly rationalizations after the decision has been made, not actual reasons. I.e. like you say, we want more, then we find an explanation why we would want more.
For example, someone likes a new phone because it’s shiny and new, and says “why wouldn’t I treat myself once in a while”, “it’s faster which makes me more productive”, “it has X and Y new features which are useful in A and B situations”(which they’ll never encounter), and so on
queermunist@lemmy.ml 2 days ago
No, actually, normal people can settle. That doesn’t mean they don’t treat themselves “once in a while” or sometimes crave something special, but they don’t need more more more all the time.
But there are some people who always want more. They never are satisfied, not even for a second. As soon as they get something they want they’re already bored with it and want the next best thing. It’s a hedonic treadmill that gets faster and faster, they’re never happy.
Azzu@lemm.ee 2 days ago
Yeah of course we can override our desires, I never said anything to the contrary. The difference though is not the existence of the desire.
queermunist@lemmy.ml 2 days ago
Normal people don’t desire more at all times. They’ll be happy for a while before setting their eyes on the next goal.
These hungry ghosts, though, never experience that period of contentment. That moment of happiness where they achieve what they want and can rest never comes, not even for a second. As soon as they get what they want they already want more.
It’s different.
Azzu@lemm.ee 2 days ago
We would disagree there then. In my opinion the only difference is the situation people are in not allowing them to get more. If you look at lottery winners, most of them manage to lose all the money relatively quickly.