Or is ‘satisficing’ just a hidden multi-objective optimisation that factors in time and effort costs?
I think this is basically right. I recently had a salesperson tell me “Your job is harder than mine, because you’re trying to optimize something, while I’m just trying to maximize something.” I disagreed that her job was in any way easy, but understood what she meant.
Like, there must be something I would ideally be maximizing, but it’s something underspecified, insufficiently well understood at the gears level, or too many steps removed from the specific actions I’m taking, for me to usefully think about it that way without instantly and unavoidable Goodharting myself. I used to have a (very smart and insightful) boss at this job who liked to say “If you ever figure out what we’re trying to do here, please tell me.” This is sorta what he was trying to point towards.
I think this is basically right. I recently had a salesperson tell me “Your job is harder than mine, because you’re trying to optimize something, while I’m just trying to maximize something.” I disagreed that her job was in any way easy, but understood what she meant.
Like, there must be something I would ideally be maximizing, but it’s something underspecified, insufficiently well understood at the gears level, or too many steps removed from the specific actions I’m taking, for me to usefully think about it that way without instantly and unavoidable Goodharting myself. I used to have a (very smart and insightful) boss at this job who liked to say “If you ever figure out what we’re trying to do here, please tell me.” This is sorta what he was trying to point towards.