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Elo comments on Why is a goal a good thing? - Less Wrong Discussion

1 Post author: Elo 29 May 2015 03:00AM

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Comment author: [deleted] 29 May 2015 07:56:11AM *  1 point [-]

Generally speaking being in a space where things are tidy and orderly is supposed to have a psychological effect, making people more focused, organized, disciplined and so on, so pursuing their important goals more efficiently. I don't think anyone tested it scientifically, it is more like the pop-psychology of it. There is another idea that clutter is cognitively exhausting, perhaps a chaotic looking bed is in this category...

We know militaries tend to be very anal about this (make your bed perfectly, fold your clothes perfectly, and so on...) and they tend to be fairly efficient organizations so it must have some psychological effect probably, but it is not sure it is the kind of psychological effect you would want (obedience training, for example).

Comment author: Elo 31 May 2015 07:22:18AM 0 points [-]

What I did: re-evaluate the "messy thing" to be "normal" or not-messy. I can understand where the idea that clutter is exhausting and confusing might come from; but if you don't do more than barely "see" it without identifying it or trying to add it to a list of "incomplete things" in your head; then its not really distracting. its about as distracting as the colour of the walls or the feel of your clothing...