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Quote #566 - Predictably Irrational
13 May, 2013
"We are not only irrational, we are predictably irrational--our irrationality happens the same way, again and again."
"In order to overcome many types of human fallibility, I believe it's useful to look for tricks that match immediate, powerful, and positive reinforcements with the not-so-pleasant steps we have to take toward our long-term objectives. . . . By pairing something that we love with something that we dislike but that is good for us, we might be able to harness desire with outcome--and thus overcome some of the problems with self-control we face every day."
Dan Ariely
PREDICTABLY IRRATIONAL
I've talked before about these brain studies being done by scientists and social scientists to map how we think and why we do what we do. It's all amazing.
This is some of the most important stuff, and what I will be next assessing, both for myself and for all the people who study and work with me, and with whom I collaborate.
That is: if we are irrational, and our irrationality is predictable, can we find ways rationally to alter our irrational responses?
I have been working on this one for many years--called it "setting lessons" for my unconscious mind to learn from, but now they're actually studying it and analyzing it, and I am learning from them how else to work with it.
It may be the most important thing any of us addresses. For if most of our behavior and choices are made irrationally (however we believe we've made them), then figuring out how to influence our unconscious is just about all we've got.
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