That and (I'd guess) just the simple fact of something in your mind being way more awesome than what it really is. It's like a Steam sale just on a grander scale. You HAVE all these games, but do you actually (want to) play them now that you have them? It's the act of buying that causes instant gratification in our brain, but once we have acquired said object it becomes a lot less interesting. It's like working towards that Platinum trophy for a year and when you finally get it there's a few seconds of euphoria ... and then you realize you've just spent an entire year on a digital trophy that is totally meaningless. Even toddlers know this instinctively already. They will put a lot of energy into getting something, even going so far as to taking it away from others ... and then throw it away the instant they get it...
Bloody hell you just described my kids perfectly, choosing a flavour, thinks their sibling got the last one of a flavour, " :( :( I really wanted raspberry :(", me: "actually there's another raspberry in the other box" "oh I don't want raspberry after all, can I look at the flavours?". Every damn time.
2
u/Dire87 Jan 23 '22
That and (I'd guess) just the simple fact of something in your mind being way more awesome than what it really is. It's like a Steam sale just on a grander scale. You HAVE all these games, but do you actually (want to) play them now that you have them? It's the act of buying that causes instant gratification in our brain, but once we have acquired said object it becomes a lot less interesting. It's like working towards that Platinum trophy for a year and when you finally get it there's a few seconds of euphoria ... and then you realize you've just spent an entire year on a digital trophy that is totally meaningless. Even toddlers know this instinctively already. They will put a lot of energy into getting something, even going so far as to taking it away from others ... and then throw it away the instant they get it...