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Variables I’ve noticed as being relevant: Expected marginal increase in agency (both absolute and relative) Degree to which there’s something free or bargain about it Non-neuroticism (not dwelling on things when you can’t act) Obsessiveness (not letting go when you CAN act)
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Expansion in the realm of the accessible known. I was very excited about the New Horizons mission Pluto (2015) and Ultima Thule (2019) flybys. But much less excited about quantum supremacy. Probably because the latter is effectively inaccessible to me.
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Sense of being bound. A “what’s the point” context created by everything else. As in, “what’s the point of getting excited about Pluto; between Trump and climate change it’s game over and New Horizons photos are all we’ll ever get”. There was a bit of that in 2019 flyby for me.
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Social reality component. You get excited in proportion to the existence of, and your sense of belonging to, a larger social reality that has agency in relation to a thing. Space missions require space programs with a “for all humans” posture.
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A chance to be “seen”. Exciting events and costume parties allow dropping of masks. As does being higher in a hierarchy, you can make yourself “seen” indirectly without direct consequence. Shame prevents this kind of excitement. “I have no right to be.”
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Prior knowledge- to be able to appreciate subtleties, importance and mastery. And that, in turn, is usually determined by chance, education or environment.
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