During my last trip to New York City, we visited the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, also known as the Oculus.
“Oculus” by Jeffrey G Thomas, 2017 CC-By-4.0
The stunning architecture of this sweeping building cannot fail to impress. The inside feels huge and open like a European cathedral. The outside looks like a pair of wings, flapping in multiple photographic exposures across the Manhattan skyline.
One thing that will forever stand out about the Oculus, however, was the doors.
How many times have you seen someone self-sabotage their own life?
I known people who have dropped out of school, directionless. I known people who have arrived to work drunk. I known people who have ruined a relationship over a few hours of fun. I’ve known people that sacrifice sleep and performance for video games.
All of these choices in the present have impacts that can last decades into the future.
Do you know why these people do what they do?
We can’t know people’s private thoughts. We can’t read their minds now, and we can’t deduce their feelings and opinions from the past.
Our choices are made in comparison to other options, and what we might lose or gain with these decisions. Unfortunately, all too often we don’t know the value of those options at all! For example, do you really know the price and quality of one television set over another?
If given a set of options, Ariely lays out the predictable choices in each:
It’s been said that a Weatherman is the only job where you can often be wrong and still keep your job. How often is your local forecast far from what transpires? (or perspires)
“Out of the mist” by Jeremy Segrott, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
Two people meet in the road.
“What a beautiful day!” exclaims the first, looking up.
“Oh, but I think it might rain,” laments the second, looking down at his phone.
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