Friday, October 3

The Validity of a Pro/Con List

I found this template on the NET in regards to lining out a PRO/CON list. This one is pretty fool proof. But one it is all lined out, whose standing over me forcing me to accept the totals and be on my way?

How many times (if ever), have you made a list? When its done, do you look at it with some sort of epiphany? Probably not. The whole reason you make the list in the first place is because you want to buck the system, go against your intuition. You think that lining out stupid reasons to do something will convince you that the other option sucks.

Example. I want to eat a donut. But i should eat oat bran cereal. You may put on your Pro Donut list that it has pretty colors. This in fact is not a pro. it is stupid fact.

I need to be told which things actually will count on my pro/con list. If i have my mind already set to do one thing, i will add a bunch of mundane things, subconsciously mind you, to the pro list to make it outweigh the cons. Like if it is a jelly donut it has "fruit." it may smell nice, it may be free in the teacher work room. Done, pro list longer, although pointless.

now i have to wonder when in fact is a pro/con list useable?
What bike to buy perhaps.
Where to go to dinner? that depends on whose buying.
what pair of plaid short to wear to work? no, just make sure not to wear a tie-dye shirt.
to race a bike on a specific day or not. legit.
to race a certain bike on a certain day where nothing will really be affected one way or the other, no sleep will be lost, nobody will cry. Perfect.

But i am in a complete deadlock. this system sucks.

2 comments:

trainwreck said...

and the main use for pro/con lists has to be relationships...though they always lead you to the wrong conclusion.

Anonymous said...

Someone else, who doesn't know you, has to do the pro/con list for you. Humans lie and we always lie to ourselves. We ust can't be trusted