Comments on: Power Beats Happiness http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html Overcoming Bias is economist Robin Hanson’s blog, on honesty, signaling, disagreement, forecasting, and the far future. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:09:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Nicole http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html#comment-435137 Nicole Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:04:30 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20124#comment-435137 What a joke. What a joke.

]]> By: Phil Goetz http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html#comment-435058 Phil Goetz Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:07:22 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20124#comment-435058 So if there is a decrease in the happiness of women, it could be <em>because</em>, not in spite of, their increasing power. They have higher expectations, and better circumstances, probably meaning it takes larger successes to make them happy. So if there is a decrease in the happiness of women, it could be because, not in spite of, their increasing power. They have higher expectations, and better circumstances, probably meaning it takes larger successes to make them happy.

]]> By: Grant http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html#comment-435057 Grant Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:46:14 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20124#comment-435057 It seems easy to trade wealth and power for hapiness. It seems much more difficult to do the opposite, if need be. Therefore the acquisition of wealth and power may be a better long-term investment to overall happiness. ...and isn't this what people more or less do? They work hard to provide for themselves and their loved ones, and then they retire and try to trade that wealth for happiness. It seems easy to trade wealth and power for hapiness. It seems much more difficult to do the opposite, if need be. Therefore the acquisition of wealth and power may be a better long-term investment to overall happiness.

…and isn’t this what people more or less do? They work hard to provide for themselves and their loved ones, and then they retire and try to trade that wealth for happiness.

]]> By: Phil Goetz http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html#comment-435037 Phil Goetz Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:47:51 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20124#comment-435037 The romance novel industry keeps a close watch on what plot lines do and do not sell; and after decades of intense scrutiny of the sales figures for different novels, they have concluded that women definitely like books about bad boys. How recently is "recently evolved"? Wuthering Heights was published in 1847. The romance novel industry keeps a close watch on what plot lines do and do not sell; and after decades of intense scrutiny of the sales figures for different novels, they have concluded that women definitely like books about bad boys.

How recently is “recently evolved”? Wuthering Heights was published in 1847.

]]> By: Phil Goetz http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html#comment-435036 Phil Goetz Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:41:20 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20124#comment-435036 Power and happiness are in such different ontological categories that it might not make sense to talk about choosing between them. Power is something you can possess. Happiness is a momentary reward signal for a positive change in your circumstances; it's more like the first derivative of your utility function. Improving your circumstances makes you happy temporarily; but unless that improvement facilitates future improvements, it probably makes it harder for you to be happy and easier to be sad in the future. Power and happiness are in such different ontological categories that it might not make sense to talk about choosing between them. Power is something you can possess. Happiness is a momentary reward signal for a positive change in your circumstances; it’s more like the first derivative of your utility function. Improving your circumstances makes you happy temporarily; but unless that improvement facilitates future improvements, it probably makes it harder for you to be happy and easier to be sad in the future.

]]> By: Psychohistorian http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html#comment-434970 Psychohistorian Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:10:54 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20124#comment-434970 It's fun to think that the male provider, female homemaker, nuclear family model dates back to before the 1950's, but it isn't really true. Humans relied much more on extended families and tribes, and women did a substantial portion of food acquisition. There's also little reason to believe that "bad boys" did, in fact, bring back more proverbial bacon, or that they would consistently provide more of it to their mate/offspring. More likely explanations for the women liking "bad boys" involve availability bias, viewing a non-representative sample, and recently evolved cultural concepts of masculinity/femininity. It’s fun to think that the male provider, female homemaker, nuclear family model dates back to before the 1950′s, but it isn’t really true. Humans relied much more on extended families and tribes, and women did a substantial portion of food acquisition.

There’s also little reason to believe that “bad boys” did, in fact, bring back more proverbial bacon, or that they would consistently provide more of it to their mate/offspring.

More likely explanations for the women liking “bad boys” involve availability bias, viewing a non-representative sample, and recently evolved cultural concepts of masculinity/femininity.

]]> By: Roko http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html#comment-434939 Roko Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:32:11 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20124#comment-434939 upvote upvote

]]> By: Ewout ter Haar http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html#comment-434886 Ewout ter Haar Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:07:58 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20124#comment-434886 Did you see the graph? I would see love to see you debating Liberman (misspelled his name the first time) on this point. Did you see the graph? I would see love to see you debating Liberman (misspelled his name the first time) on this point.

]]> By: Addison Stuart http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html#comment-434879 Addison Stuart Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:37:15 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20124#comment-434879 Because power and happiness are mutually exclusive? Using the word "bundled" does not draw a correlation. Also, even if you are able to illustrate a correlation, it certainly would not be a causation. People in general, not just women, are less happy now. Because power and happiness are mutually exclusive? Using the word “bundled” does not draw a correlation. Also, even if you are able to illustrate a correlation, it certainly would not be a causation. People in general, not just women, are less happy now.

]]> By: curious http://www.overcomingbias.com/2009/10/power-beats-happiness.html#comment-434876 curious Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:17:38 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=20124#comment-434876 thx much for the data, Ewout. Figure 1 says it all. thx much for the data, Ewout. Figure 1 says it all.

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