The logic of streaks is tied to prominence.

· Bits and Bobs 2/3/25
  • The logic of streaks is tied to prominence.
    • "The last n times I didn't do x. Why is this time different from all previous n times so that I would do x?"
      • Also works in the reverse: "did do x / would not do x"
    • The larger n, the bigger the difference needed to break the streak.
      • The bigger the difference from all other examples is best caught with the notion of prominence.
    • The logic of what you've done in the streak so far sets the default, and that default gets stronger the longer the streak is.
      • To do something different than the default, the status quo, requires activation energy.
      • That activation energy scales with how different it is.
      • The activation energy is effectively "why now?"
    • Lots of real world phenomena emerge from this dynamic.
      • Slippery slopes.
      • If you receive a box containing things you don't acutely need (e.g. objects that are memories) then if you don't unpack it immediately when you receive it it's liable to stay unpacked for years.

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