A Theory of Satisfaction Relativity

A Theory of Satisfaction Relativity
by aperson

Life is relative. Why? Well, <strong>we only compare our current state to our most recent previous state. </strong>We take it for granted that we are clothed, have food, have an education etc. That is a fairly widely known fact. What I am saying is that one's satisfaction does not equal one's condition, but rather, the rate one's condition is improving.

So:
Satisfaction = Difference in Condition / Difference in Time

ie
S = dC / dT

For those of you who are mathematicians, you will recognise that this is differentiation, ie, the rate of change.

This somewhat cold mathematical formula unveils a terrifying truth - we can never be truly satisfied. If our condition stays the same, our satisfaction is zero, or neutral. Even when our condition is improving dramaticly, our satifaction cannot be very large for any period of time, for this would require our condition to continue improving at the same rate.

We have to compare our condition with something, to judge it's level, and it is the same with all things. We compare it to the closest thing: ourselves, in an earlier time.

This formula can be applied to many things, an obvious example being money, but also social status, friends, partners, careers etc. I think that, in the case of the extremely wealthy who continue to get wealthier at an alarming rate, that the reason they are not always satisfied is because if our condition's rate of change is constant, we begin to take that as the norm, and so the formula is differentiated again ie

S = dC / dT / dT

Which means that our satisfaction equals the rate of the rate that our condition is changing.

There is a problem with this theory - we often compare ourselves to others, but not those less fortunate, but those more. This still leads to zero satisfaction. In fact, it leads to a negative value of satisfaction. Perhaps it is the human way of striving always to improve. Perhaps we have exchange success as a species for individual happiness.

However we, as humans, are not doomed to never be satisfied <strong>as long as we keep our condition in perspective, not with ourselves, but those less fortunate, we will be happy.</strong>

A copy of this can be found on my blog.