Comments on: What Focusing Illusion? http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/ The Sweet Release of Reason Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:11:50 +0000 hourly 1 By: dczx http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8798 dczx Sun, 04 Mar 2007 14:34:44 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8798 COol :) COol :)

]]> By: dczx http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8803 dczx Sun, 04 Mar 2007 14:34:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8803 COol :) COol :)

]]> By: Chad Van Schoelandt http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8797 Chad Van Schoelandt Sat, 19 Aug 2006 16:04:01 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8797 Let me suggest what the illusion could be. Perhaps when the rich reflect on their life they are selectively remembering the good times, and underplaying the bad. Thus he may think he averaged 8 hedons per minute when he really only averaged 5. Someone not distracted by status may more accurately assess their happiness. We can imagine this kind of misremembering happening to lot of people in lots of circumstances: Where did all my money go? It's not like I eat out much or anything... oh, as I look at my bank record it seems I bought Starbucks drinks twice a day on average over the year... Oh, as for your runner example, it seems plausible that finishing just feels that good and brings him to a high hedonic average, but he may have been able to be 98% as happy after running a half marathon, leaving him time to go watch the end of the full marathon and have a beer at the bar, perhaps being significantly happier for the total time. Let me suggest what the illusion could be. Perhaps when the rich reflect on their life they are selectively remembering the good times, and underplaying the bad. Thus he may think he averaged 8 hedons per minute when he really only averaged 5. Someone not distracted by status may more accurately assess their happiness. We can imagine this kind of misremembering happening to lot of people in lots of circumstances: Where did all my money go? It’s not like I eat out much or anything… oh, as I look at my bank record it seems I bought Starbucks drinks twice a day on average over the year…

Oh, as for your runner example, it seems plausible that finishing just feels that good and brings him to a high hedonic average, but he may have been able to be 98% as happy after running a half marathon, leaving him time to go watch the end of the full marathon and have a beer at the bar, perhaps being significantly happier for the total time.

]]> By: Chad Van Schoelandt http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8802 Chad Van Schoelandt Sat, 19 Aug 2006 16:04:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8802 Let me suggest what the illusion could be. Perhaps when the rich reflect on their life they are selectively remembering the good times, and underplaying the bad. Thus he may think he averaged 8 hedons per minute when he really only averaged 5. Someone not distracted by status may more accurately assess their happiness. We can imagine this kind of misremembering happening to lot of people in lots of circumstances: Where did all my money go? It's not like I eat out much or anything... oh, as I look at my bank record it seems I bought Starbucks drinks twice a day on average over the year... Oh, as for your runner example, it seems plausible that finishing just feels that good and brings him to a high hedonic average, but he may have been able to be 98% as happy after running a half marathon, leaving him time to go watch the end of the full marathon and have a beer at the bar, perhaps being significantly happier for the total time. Let me suggest what the illusion could be. Perhaps when the rich reflect on their life they are selectively remembering the good times, and underplaying the bad. Thus he may think he averaged 8 hedons per minute when he really only averaged 5. Someone not distracted by status may more accurately assess their happiness. We can imagine this kind of misremembering happening to lot of people in lots of circumstances: Where did all my money go? It’s not like I eat out much or anything… oh, as I look at my bank record it seems I bought Starbucks drinks twice a day on average over the year…

Oh, as for your runner example, it seems plausible that finishing just feels that good and brings him to a high hedonic average, but he may have been able to be 98% as happy after running a half marathon, leaving him time to go watch the end of the full marathon and have a beer at the bar, perhaps being significantly happier for the total time.

]]> By: PG http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8796 PG Fri, 18 Aug 2006 00:46:59 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8796 Why not compare the idle rich with the idle merely well-off? Or the hard-working wealthy with the hard-working middle class? Why not compare the idle rich with the idle merely well-off? Or the hard-working wealthy with the hard-working middle class?

]]> By: PG http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8801 PG Fri, 18 Aug 2006 00:46:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8801 Why not compare the idle rich with the idle merely well-off? Or the hard-working wealthy with the hard-working middle class? Why not compare the idle rich with the idle merely well-off? Or the hard-working wealthy with the hard-working middle class?

]]> By: dearieme http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8795 dearieme Thu, 17 Aug 2006 20:48:47 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8795 Why would anyone care a bean about how people say they feel? It would make more sense to keep photographing to see how often they laugh or smile. And that's still not much sense. Why would anyone care a bean about how people say they feel? It would make more sense to keep photographing to see how often they laugh or smile. And that’s still not much sense.

]]> By: dearieme http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8800 dearieme Thu, 17 Aug 2006 20:48:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8800 Why would anyone care a bean about how people say they feel? It would make more sense to keep photographing to see how often they laugh or smile. And that's still not much sense. Why would anyone care a bean about how people say they feel? It would make more sense to keep photographing to see how often they laugh or smile. And that’s still not much sense.

]]> By: Sam http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8794 Sam Thu, 17 Aug 2006 19:05:20 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8794 I tend to agree with you about Kahneman's theory. But I suppose that one reasonable response to your point would be to say "So what?" The richer guys may well have been slightly more satisfied, but even if this was genuine and not the function of an illusion, it still didn't have any obvious impact on their daily lives (at least according to whatever measures Kahneman et al used). This could be important if we assume that conscious introspection about one's own life satisfaction is relatively infrequent for most people. The question is then whether you'd rather spend your time: 1) happy, and slightly less satisfied on the odd occasion you are prompted to think about it; or 2) happy, albeit a little anxious and irritable, but slightly more satisfied on the odd occasion you feel the need to introspect? I tend to agree with you about Kahneman’s theory.
But I suppose that one reasonable response to your point would be to say “So what?” The richer guys may well have been slightly more satisfied, but even if this was genuine and not the function of an illusion, it still didn’t have any obvious impact on their daily lives (at least according to whatever measures Kahneman et al used).

This could be important if we assume that conscious introspection about one’s own life satisfaction is relatively infrequent for most people. The question is then whether you’d rather spend your time: 1) happy, and slightly less satisfied on the odd occasion you are prompted to think about it; or 2) happy, albeit a little anxious and irritable, but slightly more satisfied on the odd occasion you feel the need to introspect?

]]> By: Sam http://willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8799 Sam Thu, 17 Aug 2006 19:05:00 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2006/08/17/what-focusing-illusion/#comment-8799 I tend to agree with you about Kahneman's theory. But I suppose that one reasonable response to your point would be to say "So what?" The richer guys may well have been slightly more satisfied, but even if this was genuine and not the function of an illusion, it still didn't have any obvious impact on their daily lives (at least according to whatever measures Kahneman et al used). This could be important if we assume that conscious introspection about one's own life satisfaction is relatively infrequent for most people. The question is then whether you'd rather spend your time: 1) happy, and slightly less satisfied on the odd occasion you are prompted to think about it; or 2) happy, albeit a little anxious and irritable, but slightly more satisfied on the odd occasion you feel the need to introspect? I tend to agree with you about Kahneman’s theory.
But I suppose that one reasonable response to your point would be to say “So what?” The richer guys may well have been slightly more satisfied, but even if this was genuine and not the function of an illusion, it still didn’t have any obvious impact on their daily lives (at least according to whatever measures Kahneman et al used).

This could be important if we assume that conscious introspection about one’s own life satisfaction is relatively infrequent for most people. The question is then whether you’d rather spend your time: 1) happy, and slightly less satisfied on the odd occasion you are prompted to think about it; or 2) happy, albeit a little anxious and irritable, but slightly more satisfied on the odd occasion you feel the need to introspect?

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