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Hacking the Hedonic Treadmill

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21–30 of 148 posts

Re: Hacking the Hedonic Treadmill

#22
post #19

The idea of hacking the hedonic treadmill misses one important point: the mind adapts to these hacks as well. And now you are looking for more hacks.

Relatively, right? It's like adding tons of variation and cycles in training (i.e. periodization). Done correctly, you can keep improving season after season.

Yes. On the one hand the analogy is useful. Just like how physical training makes one physically fit, hedonic hacks might make one hedonically fit. On the other hand, while people might understand and accept that there are genetic limits that they cannot pass beyond, it's never the case for hedonic pleasure. Hedonic adaptation drives one to always look for more.

Re: Hacking the Hedonic Treadmill

#27
post #14

Awareness of the hedonic treadmill meshes quite well with my 'frugal' Yorkshire tendencies. A favourite on HN seems to be coffee, and spending ever more on 'good' coffee. I mainly just drink instant coffee, filter coffee for the weekend. I still get my 'good' coffee and I appreciate it. Same goes for wine and chocolate. It's also led me away from expensive experiences to unique/different experiences. It's also helpfu…

I'm right there with you!

I just recently bought some Ersatz coffee and thought to myself

"Well, what sounds more like a unique experience. Coffee, or a blend of roasted chicory, wheat, barley, figs and acorns?"

This stuff is pretty great, and regardless of how much it resembles coffee (which it does to a surprising extent), this was a really solid purchase.

Re: Hacking the Hedonic Treadmill

#29
"Commercial breaks––people actually enjoy TV more with commercials". Maybe most people, but i hate forced commercials. I rather pause the video, do something else for a while and resume the video.

"Setpiece escape room experiences, like climbing into a coffin " I have been in a real coffin a few hours once for a halloween fright night. Pretty comfy things. Felt quite relaxed.

Re: Hacking the Hedonic Treadmill

#30
post #2

Pretty sure I’d be happier if I didn’t have to work for a living.

I've found out i'm a lot happier if i don't have to do overtime. Get out of the building at 5 and stop all work related things until the next working day. Sadly there are days i don't succeed in that, but the days it does make me happier and more relaxed.
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