Repetition vs. Uniqueness

March 18, 2009

What does being repeated do the value of a given experience? Initially, one would think that it always depletes the value. The law of diminishing returns, a basic tenet of economics, states as much. The first bag of pop-corn tastes so good; it hits the spot. But, by the 2nd or 3rd bag, the buttery, salty goodness becomes nauseating. Bribery would be required to consume another. Even that seemingly bottomless pit of pleasure, the orgasm, would become trying given enough repetition. The flesh becomes raw, the mind exhausted.

But, is this a consequence of repetition alone? No. It is a consequence of repetition and temporal proximity. Place a enough time between each experience, and the return does not necessarily diminish. Indeed, even the contrary can happen. If one is predisposed to a certain location, go a month without being there, and the return is sweeter than the previous visit. The value can increase.

So, who has the more enviable position: our ancestors or ourselves? We can consume so much upon demand. We can repeat our favorite albums nearly whenever and wherever we want. Our ancestors may only have had the pleasure of hearing their favorite songs a handful of times, when they were privy to a live performance. Do we enjoy an album on a given listening more because we have the pleasure of already memorizing them, anticipating the motion of the notes, and therefore establishing a relation to them? Did they enjoy their songs more because they knew how crucial it was to pay attention as it unfolded, because the performance was precious for its rarity?

Is it better to be familiar or present? How could one go about being both--since they are not mutually exclusive. If one could do that, how much sweeter would life be?! In truth, every moment is at once old and new--old insofar as it relies upon fixed perceptual conditions and draws upon established notions for interpretation and new insofar as the perceptual contents have never been so constituted and an experience as yet interpreted presents itself. Harness the truth in both qualities and be filled!