4 ms·
There are many people who do not understand that optimization for the short term is paid for in the long term. Far too many. I don't understand how people do
by naikrovek 7y ago
There are many people who do not understand that optimization for the short term is paid for in the long term. Far too many. I don't understand how people do not understand that, and I recognize that, apparently, most people do not.
All decisions have (or are) trade-offs. Cause & effect. Since a cause cannot have an effect in the past, all causes have effects in the future, be it one nanosecond in the future or one thousand years in the future. That is to say, all decisions have consequences, and those consequences are always in the future.
If you optimize for the short term, you are, by definition, not optimizing for the long term. So, short term optimization necessitates long term de-optimization.
Examples:
Spend money now and have none for retirement (short term benefit), or save money now, and have it during retirement (long term benefit)?
Pollute the air now, earning maximum profit at the expense of air cleanliness in the future, or pay a lot of money today to find cleaner ways to operate, and have clean air in the future?
Fully invest in clickbait headlines today, earning ad impressions today, and risk clickbait fatigue later, or find a longer term strategy to retain readers in the long-term?
I can't readily think of an example decision that optimizes for short term gain that does not also optimize for long term loss.
My problem with this is that the short term is indeed very short, and the long term is very long. Short term optimization has long term consequences, and I would prefer short term consequences over long term consequences.
- xamolxix 7y ago> If you optimize for the short term, you are, by definition, not optimizing for the long term. So, short term optimization necessitates long term de-optimization. I don't think " short term optimization necessitates long term de-optimization" follows. They can be both optimal. > Spend money now and have none for retirement (short term benefit), or save money now, and have it during retirement (long term benefit)? Spend money now on something that increases your chances to get more money (easy example education?) and benefit now and at retirement.
- mrmonkeyman 7y ago1. Without marketing hacks, like clickbait, there would be no business to optimise in the first place. Good luck optimising your non-viewed channel. You understand long term is only relevant if you survive the short term. 2. In the long term, you are dead. Optimise that.
- JD557 7y ago>Since a cause cannot have an effect in the past, all causes have effects in the future, be it one nanosecond in the future or one thousand years in the future. Off-topic, but you might enjoy reading about the delayed-choice quantum eraser experiment [1]. According to Wikipedia: "While delayed-choice experiments have confirmed the seeming ability of measurements made on photons in the present to alter events occurring in the past, this requires a non-standard view of quantum mechanics.", but it's still a mind-bending result. 1: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed-choice_quantum_eraser https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed-choice_quantum_erase...