Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           Andthey,too,willbewrong.Justlesswrongthanwewere.

           ArchitectsofOurOwnBeliefs

           Trythis.Takearandompersonandputtheminaroomwithsomebuttonstopush.Thentellthemthatiftheydosomethingspecific—someundefinedsomethingthattheyhavetofigureout—alightwillflashonindicatingthatthey’vewonapoint.Thentellthemtoseehowmanypointstheycanearnwithinathirty-minuteperiod.

           Whenpsychologistshavedonethis,whathappensiswhatyoumightexpect.Peoplesitdownandstartmashingbuttonsatrandomuntileventuallythelightcomesontotellthemtheygotapoint.Logically,theythentryrepeatingwhatevertheyweredoingtogetmorepoints.Exceptnowthelight’snotcomingon.Sotheystartexperimentingwithmorecomplicatedsequences—pressthisbuttonthreetimes,thenthisbuttononce,thenwaitfiveseconds,and—ding!Anotherpoint.Buteventuallythatstopsworking.Perhapsitdoesn’thavetodowithbuttonsatall,theythink.PerhapsithastodowithhowI’msitting.OrwhatI’mtouching.Maybeithastodowithmyfeet.Ding!Anotherpoint.Yeah,maybeit’smyfeetandthenIpressanotherbutton.Ding!

           Generally,withintentofifteenminuteseachpersonhasfiguredoutthespecificsequenceofbehaviorsrequiredtonetmorepoints.It’susuallysomethingweirdlikestandingononefootormemorizingalongsequenceofbuttonspressedinaspecificamountoftimewhilefacingacertaindirection.

           Buthere’sthefunnypart:thepointsreallyarerandom.