Great Minds Look Alike

And here’s why:

I love watching youtube videos. I watch youtube videos to procrastinate, to cheer myself up, to distract myself from whatever it is I might not want to be a part of at any given time. I choose to watch youtube videos until I reach that magical moment where I am compelled to watch youtube videos. 

If I were paid to watch youtube videos, zoning out in front of my computer would no longer be a choice, it would be an obligation. Someone somewhere is telling me I must watch these videos, and I, as an economic agent with risk neutral preferences, would choose to watch youtube videos for money rather than go on watching them for free. 

But I would hate it.

I love to read, but I hate reading for class. I love to write, but I loathe writing papers so for someone to grade. So why would I ever choose to take something I love—watching youtube videos—and turn it into another tedious task to be completed by a particular deadline on pain of not getting paid?

I’ll tell you why: because I would rather get paid.

I’m glad I don’t get paid to watch youtube videos, but I sort of wish I did. 

-Tanya