I am Predictably Irrational
I have a perpetual struggle against the word FREE. I always caution against FREE because I know it always entails some sort of cost or condition. But I still fall for it, time after time, especially when buying sanitary pads. The amount of times I have been duped into buying the wrong variety pads because of that “EXTRA pads” or “FREE pack” is utterly embarassing. The FREE or EXTRA is always so distracting that I forget to check whether it was Ultra or Regular. What is sneaky way of clearing inventory, Whisper / Always!
This is just one example of a long list of things I noticed, stuggled with, but could never really verbalize or understand that momentary lapse in what I assumed was my foolproof rationality…until I read Dan Ariely’s Predictably Irrational. (which I finally found the time to finish, thanks to the fever that has finally grant me a day’s rest from work.)
It’s an amazing, amazing read. It really explains what I noticed long ago in my own decisions ever since I came across Robert Cialdini’s Influence. With Influence, I thought that if seemingly superficial things like words, order and looks could influence someone else’s decisions, then there must be loopholes in their decision-making processes that allowed for these things to influence them in the first place. So I began to carefully inspected my own decision-making processes.
I started to notice that I made strange decisions like paying 5$ for unneeded, overpriced coffee, and then trying desperately to save $5 from my prescription medication by traveling an hour in search of a cheaper drugstore.
And let’s also not mention all the times I could’ve helped that old lady cross the street or spared that homeless man a quarter but was rushing from class to class, so “I just didn’t have time”, while obnoxiously thinking what a good Samaritan I was when I help lost strangers find their way only at a time which is convenient for me.
But with Dan Ariely’s book, I feel a little better of myself now knowing that I’m not the only one in the world who is not perfectly rational. More importantly, however, is that I now not only recognize, but also fully understand the err in my decision-making processes.
With that knowledge, I shall no longer be duped into buying the wrong pads again… I hope. 
[Edit] Sorry, if you are expecting to discuss this book at length. This is more of quick reaction than a review. I’m currently too sick to digest and analyze everything. But I share a lot of information social psychology, in particular self-control and decision making processes on my Tumblr at propagenda.org and my Shared Items on Google Reader. If you have time to comb through my entries, perhaps you may catch a glimpse of what I think of this. Cheers, Ivy.[/Edit]
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My Valentine’s Day in Singapore
With my boyfriend still in Canada, I spent my Valentine’s day with a friend this year. We went to some nice places, bought some clothes, and had an mini adventure of sorts.
Food For Thought
Our first stop was the Food for Thought. It’s not everyday you can walk into a quaint IKEA-laden store that serve only the most exquisite sandwiches, and be greeted by the happiest employees and boss in the world.
Garlic Prawns at Food For Thought
The 90 Steps to Clarke Quay
We then headed our way down to Clarke Quay to an izakaya, or a Japanese-styled bar. On our way there, we took a detour to look for an ATM (with no luck) and then discovered an exit from the subway station called “90 Steps to Clarke Quay”. It sounded so mysterious that I was picturing an Alice in Wonderland-esque exit, so we readily embarked on our adventure. After the first flight of stairs, I was expecting to be greeted by a Victorian flight of stairs of some sort, only to realize that (to our dismay) that it was just a bunch of industrial stairs leading to the first floor. It was such a cruel, cruel joke on the part of the architects.
Would’ve liked to take pictures but I was too tired after climbing up the 90 Steps. So here’s a YouTube video chronicling some girls walking down the 90 Steps instead.
A Japanese Bar for Friends
After our little adventure, we dragged ourselves over to Clarke Quay to Tomo (朋友) Izakaya. Tomo means “Friends” in Chinese and Japanese. Since it’s named “friends”, I figured this would be the ideal place to avoid the lovey dovey couples whose existence would simply shoot me with pangs jealousy.
Slow service aside, that place was almost built for me. I mean, it looks like my website, and it’s got live jazz music. There’s nothing much else I could ask for.
Except maybe….
…a nice Frozen Lychee Margarita…
…and some noodle-esque Japanese dessert called kuzukiri.
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