I think this response has something to do with the fact that artificial stimulation is often regarded as deceptive in western culture. So the decision is heavil

I think this response has something to do with the fact that artificial stimulation is often regarded as deceptive in western culture. So the decision is heavily influenced by how people see it being judged by their social environment. You can achieve an interesting twist by asking: Would you hook your brain to a pleasure machine if everybody else agrees to use it too (and of course it wouldn't cause any social or cognitive side-effects, boredom, fatigue etc.)?