Figure 5.2. The primrose path on Cartesian coordinates.
Here’s a fairly technical graph from the behavioral economics literature. The x-axis is the proportion of behavior allocated to the addictive behavior and the y-axis is utility/satisfaction.
Path ABC is addiction. Each instance of engaging with the addictive behavior feels better than the non-addictive alternative, but the pattern of addiction leads to lower utility overall.
Path CDA, on the other hand, fits closer with positive behaviors that could substitute for an addiction (e.g., reading, writing, passion projects, positive social activities, etc.). Each instance might feel like a chore (Point D has the lowest utility), but continual engagement forms a pattern that leads to a leftward movement across the graph that ends up with a feeling of satisfaction.
Originally posted on Substack Notes, August 2025.