Suppose you suddenly get hold of a genie lamp. After careful scrutiny and a few rubs, a genie appears and gives you one wish, just one wish. But you can’t just wish for anything; he will give you two options and you have to pick only one.
Option one: he will give you a palace complete with servants and a garage full of luxurious cars and a carriage; millions of cash enough to last for a lifetime; and vacation houses all over the world. In other words, you’ll get to live like a royalty. BUT, everyone else gets twice apiece of what you have.
Option two: you get ten million dollars, but no one else gets anything.
There’s even a bonus. Whichever you choose, the genie will erase your memory of making the choice, so you’ll stay guilt-free.
Now, which would you choose? A luxurious life in your palace where everyone else gets more than what you have? Or a life where you get to be the only one millions richer?
I know, you’re thinking of option one; you get what you want while your friends get theirs, too. Everyone wins; everyone is happy. Ultimately tough, I don’t think you’ll be happy with that choice. Who would ever get to stay happy when you know that your friends have more than what you have? Humans are simply not wired like that. Would you be happy if what you have is less than what you think you should have?
The ugly truth is that maximizing happiness for humans mean spoiling everyone else’s life while spoiling themselves only half as much. No one seems to be content of what life offers to them today. It’ll always be getting more than what others have.
Option one: he will give you a palace complete with servants and a garage full of luxurious cars and a carriage; millions of cash enough to last for a lifetime; and vacation houses all over the world. In other words, you’ll get to live like a royalty. BUT, everyone else gets twice apiece of what you have.
Option two: you get ten million dollars, but no one else gets anything.
There’s even a bonus. Whichever you choose, the genie will erase your memory of making the choice, so you’ll stay guilt-free.
Now, which would you choose? A luxurious life in your palace where everyone else gets more than what you have? Or a life where you get to be the only one millions richer?
I know, you’re thinking of option one; you get what you want while your friends get theirs, too. Everyone wins; everyone is happy. Ultimately tough, I don’t think you’ll be happy with that choice. Who would ever get to stay happy when you know that your friends have more than what you have? Humans are simply not wired like that. Would you be happy if what you have is less than what you think you should have?
The ugly truth is that maximizing happiness for humans mean spoiling everyone else’s life while spoiling themselves only half as much. No one seems to be content of what life offers to them today. It’ll always be getting more than what others have.
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