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"Satisfying" is not settling

The AI pioneer, cognitive psychologist, and Nobel Prize-winning economist Herbert Simon is known for an insight that is crucially relevant to sufferers from audiophilia nervosa. Captured in the coinage “satisficing” (a synthesis of “satisfy” and “suffice”), he insists on a version of the cliché “The Best is the enemy of the Good.” For most decisions, people just can’t hope to wade through the overwhelming number of choices available to them in modern consumer societies—by one estimate, consumer options in modern economies exceed those of preindustrial societies by a factor of 100 million! This phenomenon is visible everywhere, and nowhere more conpicuously than in the audio equipment market.  

This sort of superabundance, multiplied by social media, in everything from toilet paper to dating choices, creates a kind of self-perpetuating anxiety that one could do better. As a result, as an opinion piece in today’s NYTimes puts it, “Maximizers tend to be less satisfied with their decisions and their lives. They are typically less happy, more prone to regret and more likely to compare themselves endlessly with others.” Sound familiar? Searching for the best can often just be the wrong goal; the certainty that something better must be out there robs the present experience of its value. We neglect our love of the music because of some perceived imperfection in our technologies of reproduction.

Am I only speaking for myself? “The absolute sound” should not be the goal. It’s not only unreachable for so many reasons—more to the point, it’s a trap that seduces us with shiny and expensive distractions. Satisficing is not settling. Rather, it’s a matter of remembering that the technology is a tool, a means to an end, not an end in itself.

snilf
jasonbourne71's avatar
jasonbourne71
1,843 posts
 

When I was a teen in the mid-to-late 60’s all we had at home was a GE solid state console. Records were bought, played and enjoyed on it. I knew there was better! A stereo receiver, turntable and separate speakers was a desirable goal. Alas, for me it was some years before I bought my first really good HiFi system - Marantz 2270, Empire 698 TT/ Microacoustics 2002E and Infinity Monitor 1A speakers. From that it was a separate preamp and power amp, then new speakers. Looking back, my first system was quite satisfying and I could have happily stuck with it. 

kennyc
2,931 posts
 

Seems answering feeds a troll.

Claiming that TAS products are universally unaffordable-rubbish. Audio manufacturers stay in business by selling products to customers. 

noromance's avatar
noromance
10,482 posts
 

Yes. The gold toilet.

“Maximizers tend to be less satisfied with their decisions and their lives. They are typically less happy, more prone to regret and more likely to compare themselves endlessly with others.”

Sound familiar?

elliottbnewcombjr
7,776 posts
 

Funny Memories, well, some are

Sy Syms, discount clothing, right up my financial alley (when borrowing money for college). I had to look at EVERY suit in my size before I could pick 1. I just couldn't stand the idea that a better choice or better bargain was there and I didn't find it.

Studying Commercial Interior Design at Pratt, it became difficult for a while, to go to restaurants (that I could afford), because I was surrounded by a travesty of design decisions made by (who the hell could make that decision?). OMG, I finally had to decide, 'Let It Go' or I'll never enjoy myself.

Professional work, i.e. for a client's New Headquarters' Building, say 10 floors in a NYC office building, EVERY decision had to be the BEST, IOW, after I put together a line of recommended chairs, Executive, Conference, Manager, Worker Bee, just like suits at Sy Syms, there was no way in hell I was going to select/present/get approval/order, and find a better choice the next day. You get very good, but progressively, the more you know, the harder it gets, it can be exhausting.

I always thought an easy job would be working in a Sports Equipment store: selling fun things, their choice, to happy healthy people. go home, nothing to think about.

So, my personal life, I purposely decided I would avoid seeking perfection, find 'Good Enough' and be happy. I do my research, make a choice, done (sort of).

 

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