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Making Sense with Sam Harris

#359 — Getting Used to It

Mar 19, 2024
31:27
Snipd AI
Sam Harris and Cass Sunstein discuss habituation to positive and negative experiences, marriage, happiness, wealth, misinformation, echo chambers, and extremism. They explore midlife crises, the influence of parenthood, and the importance of experiences over material possessions.
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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Habituation can lead to accepting negative situations without addressing them, like enduring mistreatment at work.
  • Balancing happiness, meaning, and variety in life is essential, favoring experiences over material possessions for lasting fulfillment.

Deep dives

Understanding Habituation to Positive and Negative Experiences

Habituation is described as the diminishing sensitivity to stimuli we experience over time. The podcast delves into habituation to positive and negative experiences, using examples like going into cold water where initially it feels uncomfortable but gradually becomes tolerable. Habituation to negative occurrences is discussed, highlighting the potential dangers of getting used to bad situations without addressing them, like tolerating mean behavior at work or living in areas with high crime rates.

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