Writing Service-Balancing the Effect of Expectations
Balancing the Effect of Expectations
How do you feel about the overall role of suggestion, expectation, and the placebo effect in our lives? On one hand, Ariely points to some of the ways in which these can color our judgment and cause us to make bad decisions. On the other hand, he also points to some of the ways in which they can color our judgment for the better, making food taste better, making music sound better, and even making us feel better physically. To what extent, then, is irrationality harmful, and to what extent beneficial?
Is it a worthy goal to want to eradicate all irrationality, even in its occasional benefits? Is a firm grasp of reality and rationality more important than the perceived quality of our food, music, and health? Or do we need a bit of irrationality in our lives, because certain parts of life would be less enjoyable without it?
Finally, can we sharpen our rationality in some areas (where rationality is beneficial) while being irrational in others (where irrationality is beneficial), or are we bound to go more or less all the way in either direction?
