Sublime

The first involves the information that seems to be conveyed by other people’s answers; the second involves peer pressure and the desire not to face the disapproval of the group.

Neither Freud nor Bion doubt that there are satisfactions to be had; what they do doubt, paradoxically, is our capacity, perhaps our desire, to know what they might be and to try to find them.

Every decision Sam made involved an expected value calculation. The numbers in Sam’s mind were always shifting.

it is the dumb, novelty-seeking portion of the brain driving the limbic system that induces this feeling of pleasure, not the planning, scheduling, higher-level thought centers in the prefrontal cortex.

The scheme worked because the pain of having Thaler cash the check and have a party at David’s expense was more salient than the rather abstract and pallid forgone contribution to his retirement savings plan.

The state hopes to regulate the biochemical pursuit of happiness, separating ‘bad’ manipulations from ‘good’ ones.

Fogg states that all humans are motivated to seek pleasure and avoid pain; to seek hope and avoid fear; and finally, to seek social acceptance and avoid rejection.

3. A barbelled personality—optimistic about the future, but paranoid about what will prevent you from getting to the future—is vital.