Studies in numerous settings have confirmed the
Peak-Endruleandourneglectofdurationofsuffering.
Research hasalso shown that thephenomenon applies
just as readily to the way people rate pleasurable
experiences.Everyoneknowstheexperienceofwatching
sports when a team, having performed beautifully for
nearlytheentiregame,blowsitintheend.Wefeelthat
the ending ruins the whole experience. Yet there’s a
contradiction at the root of that judgment. The
experiencingselfhadwholehoursofpleasureandjusta
momentofdispleasure,buttherememberingselfseesno
pleasure at all.
If theremembering self and theexperiencing self can
come to radically different opinions about the same
experience, thenthedifficult questionis which one to
listento.ThiswasJewelDouglass’stormentatbottom,
andtoacertainextentmine,ifIwastohelpguideher.
Shouldwelisten totheremembering—or,in thiscase,
anticipating—self that focuseson the worstthings she
mightendure? Orshouldwelisten totheexperiencing
self,whichwouldlikelyhavealoweraverageamountof
sufferingin thetime tocomeifsheunderwentsurgery
ratherthanifshejustwenthome—andmightevengetto
eat for a while again?
In theend, people don’t view their life asmerely the
averageofallofitsmoments—which,afterall,ismostly
nothingmuchplussomesleep.Forhumanbeings,lifeis
meaningfulbecauseitisastory.Astoryhasasenseofa
whole, and its arc is determined by the significant
moments, the ones where something happens.
Measurements of people’s minute-by-minute levels of