It’s not a bug, it’s a feature (in some contexts).
Consider you were playing 2 games of online chess against an anonymous opponent. You barely lose the first one. Now you’re feeling the spirit of competition, your blood boiling for revenge! Should you force yourself to relinquish the thrill of the contest, because “it doesn’t really matter”? That would be no fun! :-(
If you’re reading a work of fiction, knowing it is fiction, why are you doing so? Because emotional investment is fun? Why would you then sabotage your enjoyment by trying to downsize your emotional investment, since “it’s not real”? Also no fun! :-(
If the flawed heuristic you are employing in a certain context works in your favor in that context, switching it off would be dumb (although being vaguely aware of it would not be).
It’s not a bug, it’s a feature (in some contexts).
Consider you were playing 2 games of online chess against an anonymous opponent. You barely lose the first one. Now you’re feeling the spirit of competition, your blood boiling for revenge! Should you force yourself to relinquish the thrill of the contest, because “it doesn’t really matter”? That would be no fun! :-(
If you’re reading a work of fiction, knowing it is fiction, why are you doing so? Because emotional investment is fun? Why would you then sabotage your enjoyment by trying to downsize your emotional investment, since “it’s not real”? Also no fun! :-(
If the flawed heuristic you are employing in a certain context works in your favor in that context, switching it off would be dumb (although being vaguely aware of it would not be).
Oh, it does matter. There’s a real opponent there. That’s reality.
You make a good point.