I think you’re missing an important edge case where all of your resolved subsystems are in agreement that their collective desires are simultaneously compatible and unattainable without enormous amounts of motivation, which is something that an arms race can provide. Adaptation isn’t just about spinning cycles and causing stress. It does have actual tangible outcomes, and not all of those outcomes are bad. Though I think for most people, your advice is probably close enough to the right advice.
I think you’re missing an important edge case where all of your resolved subsystems are in agreement that their collective desires are simultaneously compatible and unattainable without enormous amounts of motivation, which is something that an arms race can provide. Adaptation isn’t just about spinning cycles and causing stress. It does have actual tangible outcomes, and not all of those outcomes are bad. Though I think for most people, your advice is probably close enough to the right advice.