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that it's possible to have pseudo-goals that are externally driven in a vacuum of Other is one the greatest strengths and weaknesses of hoomans. Shadowboxing with self leads to rapid improvement but also risks various forms of suicide when the shadow wins.

to put it less kindly though, hoomans are "programmable". because they can easily confuse externally imposed desires for internally imposed desires. some sort of monkey-want another-monkey-want-the-want effect.https://twitter.com/a_yawning_cat/status/1352866463871164416 …

normally, if i want to get another cat to do something i'll have to both communicate the desire, and also make it worthwhile. with dogs, i can manipulate the context so that the goal is high status. with hoomans, the trick is get them to think it's sth they want themselves.

like this one time, this hooman wanted to train me to "Come". since i get some tasty high value food when I do so, i occasionally obey. HOWEVER i've taken to ONLY following the command when I perch in a specific spot.

the hooman, having noticed this, now ONLY gives the command when I perch in the spot. now whenever i want some good food, i merely sit in a spot, and the hooman, head over heals with joy at the chance at getting me to obey, flawlessly gives the "Come" command.

hoomans are so silly. they believe that their actions are on their own terms and of their own free will when i have carefully manipulated the entire environment so that everything is actually on MY terms.

the hooman CANNOT get me to improve and just gives up at "sometimes the cat obeys" because the trick isn't seen through. it's like adding raw computing power and failing to solve the performance issue when the real solution is to improve the algorithm's efficiency

more practice repetitions merely has the hooman training self, further ingraining the habit, while increasing the value of the reward gives me MORE power and control. this is all b/c the hooman was SOOO elated at the high % of success when I am in certain spots.