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<blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 6781862" data-attributes="member: 177">I'm not at all closed to that possibility.&nbsp; However, if I am presented with a supposedly rational preference, and the rational basis seems full of holes, I am, by my curious nature, going to poke at them.&nbsp; In humans (again, myself included) this process often reveals that the preference isn't nearly so rational as one previously believed.And I'm good with that too!&nbsp; People do actually have emotional lives, and it is fine to live them, and have those irrational preferences.&nbsp; I have, for example, an irrational preference for my wife!&nbsp; I love her with the fire of a thousand suns, and no rational argument can tell you why.&nbsp; But, we should admit and recognize when something is an irrational preference.&nbsp; When we instead try to wrap irrational preferences in the cloak of rational justifications, then we run into (at least) two problems:1) We dismiss the value of the emotional in our lives.&nbsp; The only real reason to wrap an emotional preference in rationalizations is that we devalue the emotional, which isn't healthy.2) We take actions based on those reasons that are actually contrary to reality.&nbsp; Admittedly, in the gaming context this isn't a huge real hazard, but it isn't a good habit to be in, and does lead folks to misrepresent what's actually going on.And you will note how I have not pursued a single person who has said, &quot;I just don't like it&quot;? I pre-suppose that *everyone* myself included, has illogical biases that we don't typically perceive.&nbsp; Humans, on the whole, make a large number of their decisions on a snap-decision, emotional basis, and layer plausible-sounding rationalizations on after the fact.&nbsp; This is a known, prominent, psychological phenomenon.&nbsp; It then behooves us to *question* those stated reasons, to see if they are actually true.&nbsp; And, let us be frank - this is a *discussion* board.&nbsp; If you put an idea out there, it is open for *discussion*.&nbsp; This isn't a, &quot;Confirm my personal position and don't question me,&quot; board.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Umbran, post: 6781862, member: 177"] I'm not at all closed to that possibility. However, if I am presented with a supposedly rational preference, and the rational basis seems full of holes, I am, by my curious nature, going to poke at them. In humans (again, myself included) this process often reveals that the preference isn't nearly so rational as one previously believed. And I'm good with that too! People do actually have emotional lives, and it is fine to live them, and have those irrational preferences. I have, for example, an irrational preference for my wife! I love her with the fire of a thousand suns, and no rational argument can tell you why. But, we should admit and recognize when something is an irrational preference. When we instead try to wrap irrational preferences in the cloak of rational justifications, then we run into (at least) two problems: 1) We dismiss the value of the emotional in our lives. The only real reason to wrap an emotional preference in rationalizations is that we devalue the emotional, which isn't healthy. 2) We take actions based on those reasons that are actually contrary to reality. Admittedly, in the gaming context this isn't a huge real hazard, but it isn't a good habit to be in, and does lead folks to misrepresent what's actually going on. And you will note how I have not pursued a single person who has said, "I just don't like it"? I pre-suppose that *everyone* myself included, has illogical biases that we don't typically perceive. Humans, on the whole, make a large number of their decisions on a snap-decision, emotional basis, and layer plausible-sounding rationalizations on after the fact. This is a known, prominent, psychological phenomenon. It then behooves us to *question* those stated reasons, to see if they are actually true. And, let us be frank - this is a *discussion* board. If you put an idea out there, it is open for *discussion*. This isn't a, "Confirm my personal position and don't question me," board. [/QUOTE]

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