Name: The origins of pleasure
Uploaded: 2011-07-27T14:52:08Z
Duration: 16 min
Description: Why do we like an original painting better than a forgery? Psychologist Paul Bloom argues that human beings are essentialists -- that our beliefs about the history of an object change how we experience it, not simply as an illusion, but as a deep feature of what pleasure (and pain) is.

Paul Bloom: The origins of pleasure

The origins of pleasure

Why do we like an original painting better than a forgery? Psychologist Paul Bloom argues that human beings are essentialists -- that our beliefs about the history of an object change how we experience it, not simply as an illusion, but as a deep feature of what pleasure (and pain) is.

People value originals over perfect copies because belief in an object's history transforms how it feels, tastes, or sounds. A Nazi leader cherished a Vermeer forgery until he learned the truth and was devastated. Experiments show wine tastes better if believed expensive, and a simple carrot delights if labeled McDonald's. Our enjoyment and even our pain hinge on hidden stories and what we believe lies beneath the surface.