Roman Simon on Nostr: The pleasure mechanism evolved as a reward for meaningful and beneficial actions that ...

The pleasure mechanism evolved as a reward for meaningful and beneficial actions that living organisms performed. But humans have transformed it into a meaningless mess as a side effect of progress in the pursuit of efficiency.

When we meet our mating partners and have sex, we’re engaging in important work for reproduction, so we are rewarded with pleasure. Yet, progress brought us porn, which leads to masturbation — an utterly meaningless act that provides cheap pleasure and hijacks the original purpose.

When we explore the world and solve problems, we’re doing vital work for survival, earning pleasure as a reward for problem-solving and achievement. However, progress brought us video games, which waste time, offer fake feelings of accomplishment, and provide cheap pleasure that fosters degradation.

Progress and efficiency are not always beneficial, it turns out.

But as a conscious and intelligent individual, you have the power to choose reality and constructive meaning over fake, cheap pleasure.

It’s up to you!