Value Capture: Chasing Numbers and Losing Sight of Motivation

Michael Easter, author of The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain, explains a concept called value capture, which refers to the tendency to focus on chasing numbers and quantifying behaviors, losing sight of the original reasons for doing those behaviors. For example, on social media platforms like Twitter, the goal of discussion is multi-faceted, including understanding others, being understood, and expressing opinions. However, once likes, retweets, and follower counts are introduced as metrics, people start tweeting in pursuit of these external validation points, which often undermines the genuine purpose of discussion. This phenomenon also applies to other areas, such as Instagram, where people may shift from using it as a form of moving meditation to strategically searching for Instagrammable moments. Similarly, in academia, students often become fixated on GPA as a simplistic score, disregarding the broader goals of learning, personal growth, and preparation for a career.