The Brain: A Discounting Mechanism

Now I understand! It's amazing the things you can learn from unexpected sources.

I just finished reading, Where'd You Go, Bernadette  written by Seattle author, Maria Semple. Delightful, entertaining and enlightening.

I've often wondered why: I can stand my own clutter, but not someone else's; my husband's idiosyncrasies annoy other people, but not me (most of the time); and other people hear street noise and train whistles that I don't. The latter is not because I'm going deaf, because once brought to my attention, I can hear them. Scott would argue the point, but then again maybe that's why some of his quirks don't bother me. :-)

Here's what one of Semple's characters had to say: The brain is a discounting mechanism. He gave a couple examples.

Let's say you get a crack in your windshield and you're really upset. Oh no, my windshield, it's ruined. I can hardly see out of it, this is a tragedy! But you don't have enough money to fix it, so you drive with it. In a month, someone asks you what happened to your windshield, and you say, What do you mean? Because your brain has discounted it.

The character further explained our brain does that for the sake of survival. We need to be prepared for novel experiences because they often signal danger. If you live in a jungle full of fragrant flowers, you have to stop being so overwhelmed by the lovely smell because otherwise you couldn't smell a predator. That's why your brain is considered a discounting mechanism. It's literally a matter of survival.

So now I know. My norm may not be someone else's, but it's what's allowing me to stay productive, positive and loving my noisy neighborhood. Viva! my discounting mechanism!!