![]() But-and this is a point to which proponents of adaptive preference theory have given too little attention-identifying adaptive preferences is only the beginning of the normative inquiry. We agree with the theory's proponents that adaptive preferences exist and that they raise significant normative questions about the unreflective use of preferences as a measure of justice or a basis for policy. Although some have recognized in the abstract that nothing in the theory of adaptive preferences requires preferences to be disregarded uniformly, the concept has nearly always been deployed as part of an argument for disregarding revealed, expressed, or felt preferences.Ĭritics of adaptive preference theory have argued that the theory lacks "both conceptual coherence and empirical grounding" and that it is "undemocratic" because the true "argument for satisfying preferences is that they are the individual's, whatever their origin." We take a different tack. Thus, scholars have typically invoked the adaptive preferences phenomenon as an argument that some preferences are not a proper measure of justice and ought not guide policy. As people learn to adjust to the existing horrors by the sheer necessity of uneventful survival, the horrors look less terrible in the metric of utilities. Discontent is replaced by acceptance, hopeless rebellion by conformist quiet, and-most relevantly in the present context-suffering and anger by cheerful endurance. The underdog learns to bear the burden so well that he or she overlooks the burden itself. In a typical passage, Amartya Sen describes the phenomenon this way: ![]() As Professor Jon Elster has described this psychological phenomenon, "people tend to adjust their aspirations to their possibilities." A number of prominent scholars have argued that the existence of adaptive preferences "raises serious problems for neoclassical economics and for unambivalent enthusiasm for freedom of choice." Because our current preferences are constrained by the opportunities available to us, proponents of adaptive preference theory contend, those preferences may not be the best guide to what is in our interests we may be unduly content with unfair limitations on our opportunities. While happiness from promotions and raises is fleeting, studies that follow people over many decades show that strong relationships with others – family, friends, or broader community – is the strongest predictor of long-term happiness and health.īy all means, pursue big, ambitious goals, but don’t neglect the people who will celebrate with you when you achieve them.Over the past quarter century, the concept of "adaptive preferences" has played an important role in debates in law, economics, and political philosophy. If you don’t enjoy the process, it might be that you were pursuing the wrong outcome in the first place. The outcome won’t make you happier, but the act of showing up every day can. Savor the satisfaction of feeling stronger, fitter, faster with each lift, step, or burpee. If you’re trying to lose weight, don’t obsess over hitting a number on the scale. If you’re a writer, don’t fantasize about publishing a novel. Instead, you can hack hedonic adaptation by setting smaller, more frequent goals to experience more frequent bumps in happiness, even if they’re still temporary.Įnjoy the process, not just the outcome. ![]() We spend a great deal of time pursuing a goal that will only give us a one-time, temporary bump in happiness when we accomplish it. Most of us set big, far-off goals that we’ll only accomplish every once in a long while: graduate college, lose 50 pounds, get the promotion, run a marathon. Set many smaller goals instead of one big one. What good is striving for goals if accomplishing them leaves us feeling empty moments later? What to do about it: When we reach our goals, we get a temporary bump in happiness, only to go right back to our baseline levels the next week, day, or even hour. We pursue a promotion, a raise at work, a certain number of Twitter followers because that’s what we believe will make us happy. ![]() Hedonic adaptation is our tendency to quickly return to our normal levels of happiness after both positive and negative external events. ![]()
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