The Influential Mind Made Me Think #7: On The Pleasure And Pain Of Knowledge, And What We Choose To Learn

In a previous edition of the The Influential Mind Made Me Think I talked about how we love to have the ability to choose. I believe that this love comes from the capability of learning from our decisions taken. Once we learn, then we are capable of knowing if certain circumstances will have positive or negative outcomes in the future. Experience is knowledge. In today's edition I will expand on why we like to learn. Furthermore, I will talk about what we choose to learn or know when we have a say in it.

It has been proven that some neurons in our brains release dopamine when information is received. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is associated with our pleasure and rewards systems. In general, dopamine is released when we expect a reward or when we receive an unexpected reward. As it turns out, we also release dopamine when we expect information or when we receive unexpected information. As Tali Sharot would put it: "In the brain, the 'currency' for tangible goodies, like sex and plum pie, looked a lot like the 'currency' for pure knowledge [...]" In other words, we could say that we seek information in the same manner that we look for nourishment and sex. The evolutionary explanation as to why we look for information is simple. With information we are capable of making better decisions (maybe?).

Nevertheless, we do not just look for information for the sake of it. The expected positive or negative value of the new information plays a big role. People want to know about possible wins but choose to ignore possible loses. A perfect example can be found in the results of admission letters vs the results of medical analysis. When a person receives an admission letter, he/she would usually open it as soon as possible. Some would even go to large extents to try to know even sooner! Why? Because the letter represents a possible win. On the opposite side, consider a person that carries a mutation to gene IT15. This mutation can cause Huntington's disease. In my opinion, one of the worst diseases someone can haven. In short, it fucks up all your systems (both cognitive and physical) slowly until you die. So far, no cure has been found. Studies have shown that between 45 to 70 percent of the people that are potential carriers say that they intend to get tested. Nevertheless, records show that only about 10 to 20 percent of them get registered to get tested.

One could say that the potential carriers of the gene mutation do not want to know because they want to remain happy in the meanwhile and they cannot do anything to avoid their future. But what about the people expecting an admission letter? They cannot change the decision either. So why do they wait so impatiently for that letter? I think the answer lies in experience. From experience we know that good or bad news change our current mood. On top of that, we are simple creatures who prefer to experience happiness and pleasure rather than sadness and grief.

Let me give you a stronger example that will buttress my argument. In the previous examples, none could do anything to change their future. But what do you think someone who CAN do something about his/her future would do? In a study, 396 women's blood samples were analyzed. When they turned to pick up their results, they were told that part of the sample had been used to test for genes associated with the predisposition towards breast cancer. All they needed to do at that point in time is say if they wanted to receive such information or not. Not extra effort or steps needed. 169 women chose not to know! This is staggering. These women if predisposed could take extra steps in their daily life in order to make sure they avoid or notice in time a potential cancer! Ignorance is bliss, isn't it?