“I would generalize the question, because the generalization applies broadly—whatever we profess to value, whatever we believe we value, why aren’t we expending more time and energy actually creating that value?”
Well, you value whatever you’re doing instead of going to the gym more than you value saving the world is what I was getting at. People value their own expected utility more than they value societal expected utility, even if most individuals in society would be better off if everyone somehow valued societal expected utility. Seems reasonably likely to me anyways.
Perhaps I misunderstood you; now it seems like you were saying “why do we hyperbolic discount?” or something to that effect.
Okay I’ll bite.
I’m not going to the gym because of the tragedy of the commons? I really don’t think that’s it.
Well, you value whatever you’re doing instead of going to the gym more than you value saving the world is what I was getting at. People value their own expected utility more than they value societal expected utility, even if most individuals in society would be better off if everyone somehow valued societal expected utility. Seems reasonably likely to me anyways.
Perhaps I misunderstood you; now it seems like you were saying “why do we hyperbolic discount?” or something to that effect.