Well hedonic adaptationis a thing; there do seem to be things that work so that
when you first get it, you feel happy
then you get used to it, and return to the previous baseline happiness
but if you lose it, you will keep wishing it back and feel unhappy about having lost it
So in the long-term, getting it gave you no net benefit to wellbeing, and arguably even put you in a worse position, since you will now feel worse off if you lose it.
I’m skeptical of that reasoning because it suggests that the happiest man in the world would be born without limbs and sight and hearing.
I do think that people buy a new car and it’s the best thing ever, and then it just becomes their car. This happens to some people more than others, and it happens for some goods more than others. For instance, computers with internet access generate novel experiences all the time, which (for me at least) boosts you above baseline perpetually. I think it’s a mistake to forego good experiences to make your experience better.
Well hedonic adaptation is a thing; there do seem to be things that work so that
when you first get it, you feel happy
then you get used to it, and return to the previous baseline happiness
but if you lose it, you will keep wishing it back and feel unhappy about having lost it
So in the long-term, getting it gave you no net benefit to wellbeing, and arguably even put you in a worse position, since you will now feel worse off if you lose it.
I’m skeptical of that reasoning because it suggests that the happiest man in the world would be born without limbs and sight and hearing.
I do think that people buy a new car and it’s the best thing ever, and then it just becomes their car. This happens to some people more than others, and it happens for some goods more than others. For instance, computers with internet access generate novel experiences all the time, which (for me at least) boosts you above baseline perpetually. I think it’s a mistake to forego good experiences to make your experience better.
Yes, I’m not saying that I would agree with the reasoning, just that one can hold it in a consistent manner.
Yes, I think you’re right.