There are a near infinite number of ways in which I could probably make minor improvements to my life. But it’s not even worth examining them, let alone trying them, if the cost of examining and trying them will, on the average, be more than the benefit. Note that it doesn’t matter that any particular example will be worth it—I don’t know this in advance—so telling me “bidets are really great” won’t affect this position.
Furthermore, I’m more skeptical than usual about any example that involves small actions that a human has to do routinely. That’s a recipe for creating cognitive biases; if the thing really isn’t very good, people will rationalize it away as being good so as not to admit to themselves that they’re wasting so much time and effort. And doing many small actions related to necessary human bodily functions create positive reinforcement by their association with those necessary functions.
I’m also more skeptical than usual of things that go “make this definitely existing expenditure for this possibly existing benefit”.
There are a near infinite number of ways in which I could probably make minor improvements to my life. But it’s not even worth examining them, let alone trying them, if the cost of examining and trying them will, on the average, be more than the benefit. Note that it doesn’t matter that any particular example will be worth it—I don’t know this in advance—so telling me “bidets are really great” won’t affect this position.
Furthermore, I’m more skeptical than usual about any example that involves small actions that a human has to do routinely. That’s a recipe for creating cognitive biases; if the thing really isn’t very good, people will rationalize it away as being good so as not to admit to themselves that they’re wasting so much time and effort. And doing many small actions related to necessary human bodily functions create positive reinforcement by their association with those necessary functions.
I’m also more skeptical than usual of things that go “make this definitely existing expenditure for this possibly existing benefit”.
Also, Chesterton’s fence.