The Secret Existence of Expressive Behavior
Robert P. Abelson
(1995, 25-26)
As follows:
Conversation
Every autumn, John Doe traveled a long distance for something he claimed was important, and this aroused the curiosity of a rational choice theorist.
"What do you do there?" he asked.
"I dote," John replied. "I dote on Sally, my granddaughter."
1
"You go all the way to dote? How do you benefit from it?"
"Benefit?" asked John, puzzled. "I dunno, I just dote on her. Little Sally, she's really something. She'll do great things some day -- make money, be famous, maybe even be president."
1
The theorist considered this. "Well, do you think your doting makes any difference?" he asked.
"Difference? How do you mean? I guess Sally likes to be doted on. When she's a teenager, she might not. Those teenagers..."
1
"No, no, I mean, does your doting make it any more probable that she'll do great things than if you don't dote?"
"More probable? Never thought about it. She'll do great things anyway. I like her best of all my grandchildren."
1
John's questioner became exasperated. "You spend a lot of money and effort to go and dote, without expecting your doting to make a difference?"
"Should I?"
"Oh, yes," said the rational choice theorist. "It's a law of human nature. Your actions are anomalous."
1
Troubled, the theorist pondered the matter for many years. In the meantime, John Doe died without knowing his granddaughter's achievements.
1
The theorist, further perplexed, wondered whether Doe had considered the possibility that he would die before the benefits of doting could be enjoyed.
The rational choice theorist never solved the riddle, but he posed the issues in a famous paper entitled "The Doter's Paradox."