Feelings with numbers

How are feelings are predictably irrational when it comes to numbers.

“They would probably allow it, if it’s 1000x safer.” When, I heard this sentence, I’ve had problems imagining 1000 times. My number intuitions are going a bit nuts there.

So I decided to put it on graph, and see how each number score on the ‘Wau spectrum.’ This is what I got.

On the x-axes you have, how many times more and on the Y axes is the feeling of ‘Wau’.

I’ve noticed that I have areas of: “Imaginable,” “Hard to imagine,” and “I can’t imagine.”

It was fun. Then I wanted to recreate it for medium.

I did it a bit differentially. First time I drew the graph, I first draw the whole graph, then put the wau feelings for each number. In some numbers I felt like: “That’s dumb. Why would you put it there” seeing how I am comparing them. But this is not the goal. The goal was to see how each number score on a ‘Wau’ spectrum.

I went on computer and isolated each number i.e. 5x on a separate wau spectrum.

Put a mark where I felt it the wau feeling belongs. I’ve made sure I’m zoomed in, so I can only see one wau spectrum. To not be influenced by others and repeated it for every value.

Only then I’ve put all the wau values on one graph.

See this is what I was talking about. It’s weird. Now, I get that you wouldn’t draw it like it, if you would draw the graph right away. But when you hear a sentence 1000x more, you don’t have a scale where you put it on compared to others. You just have the 1000x inner feeling of wau. (I’ve made a mistake with 100x. It should be a bit higher.)

Honestly with 1000x I’ve had a feeling to not make a one mark on spectrum but scratch it all over. Like this.

The more it was getting into realm of: “I can’t imagine,” the more I was tempted to say: “I don’t know!”

Some numbers like 5x and 50x were on the same boat. But in a weird way, they aren’t right in the middle.

I felt they were a bit after the middle. Two was for example in the middle. Which yeah, give an explanation.

See how predictably different they are? I see there a pattern but a very vague one. The moment I went, 30x I almost like scaled it to 100. And yet when you’ve said 100x I moved the scale even further.

With 2x I think this is what happened. There is this starting tendency with 2. You make a graph with small numbers. Making sure to have enough space for possible 3 and less. A bumper place before and after.

As you can see with each number, the interesting part is the scale. How does it change depending upon the number. Scales that I have them, and yet not even aware of them.

Try it for yourself, choose whatever amount of 50x, 10x, 20x, and so on. Make sure you make a wau spectrum for each of it separately, and only then put it all in one graph.

Now, how this is useful? I think I have an idea. You know how you are getting all ramp up about the price of the pan. Or some item you don’t really care about but, yet found yourself entangled in tension of “Getting the right one?”

Yeah, take the numbers you are ramped about. Let’s say a pan costs 15 dollars. The other one cot 17,90 but has better … You probably know what I talk about.

Now, the problem of why you feel 17,90 is too much, is because of your scale. 16 is probably where you have the top of your scale spectrum.

It’s the right line. And with 17,90 you are getting over it.

The way you can ease out yourself into decision is to double the spectrum.

Okay, I just discovered a trick, markets use for you to feel better about your purchase. If they want to sell you the 17,9 one, they would add a 40 one next to it, so you feel more at ease spending 2,9 dollars more.

I wanted to use this idea as to ease out of the unimportant decision is whether it’s 15 or 17,9. Which still may work. But if you are really tight on a budget. Then I would recommend going with spectrum here.

Zero is your spectrum. Everything what is not important for you put a 0 scale. Then every thing you would need to buy you would go for the 15 one, and not even bother about the 17,9.

You may ask: “I’m not sure if it’s important,” well the very question is a pointer to how not important it is. You don’t need to ask if you need to drink water.

Dan Ariely talked about it, how it’s better to cut the expensive entirely on a not important stuff, to zero, and only after month. If you felt like it’s missing, only then take it back.

Maybe the whole thing is for you to be aware of your scale.

Where are your upper and down limits. You would not fall into spending more, than you initially wanted and feeling great about it. Until the end of the month comes. Then yeah.